A Cinderella Story
by SiriusHorcrux1018
Summary: [Chapter 10 up] Fairy tales aren't just about finding handome princes. They are about fulfilling your dreams. And about standing up for what you believe in. Once upon a time - it can happen anytime.
1. Prologue

_Hey, it's Ice-dragon1018 here. I couldn't resist writing this fic - the idea just wouldn't leave me alone. And I'm sure that authors know that when an idea won't leave them alone, they have to write it down. _

**Message for Ice-dragon1018 readers:  
**I've been really bad at updating lately, and I realize that. But it's been Christmas and it's still the holidays and I have to write ten page essays for school ISU's (Independant Study Units) -- It sucks, as I'm sure everyone knows. So sorry about that. Though I have half-to-most of the chapters written, they probably won't be posted for a couple weeks. I'm really sorry guys! Now, you all have permission to hurt me and kill me, but I gotta say, I'm allergic to death. shifty eyes It tends to make me permanently unconscious and unable to update.... grins So yeah, just thought you guys would like to know.

_**Our Sucky Little Keyboard That No One Cares About and Will Probably Never Look At (OSLKTNOCAWPNLA for short )  
**Is OSLKTNOCAWPNLA even a word? Hmm, somehow, I don't think so...but, I can make up words! So can you! Like Fudgeamania! watches readers back away slowly ...oops? _

Anything written in normal text (like this) is the actual story.  
_Anything written in italics (like this) is when flashbacks or dreams are occurring.  
_**Anything written in bold (like this) is someone acting as a narrator-slash-voice over. **(You think I'm rich enough to hire two people?)  
**_Anything written in bold italics (like this) are song lyrics. _**

Please note that original characters may be brought in due to the lack of females in Yu-Gi-Oh.

So now, let's begin the torture. . .err, fic!! smiles innocently

Please review!

* * *

**Once upon a time, in a far away kingdom lived a beautiful girl and her widowed father.**

_She smiled as she looked over the landscape in front of her. There were rows and rows of buildings below her. She looked up at her father with a smile before looking back to the horizon._

**Okay, it wasn't really that long ago and it wasn't really a far away kingdom. It was the San Fernando Valley and it only looked far away because you can barely see it through the fog. But, for me, growing up, that Valley was my kingdom.**

_Her father laughed as he drove his Mustang down the street, his daughter sitting beside him in the front seat. The wind blew their hair backwards. This was what life was all about. Sharing good times with his daughter, who always seemed to be happy._

**I was my dad's best friend, and he was mine. Although, being raised by a man, who could be a leg behind fashion departments, I never felt like I missed out on anything.**

**I was the luckiest girl in the world.**

**My dad owned the coolest diner in the whole valley. I loved hanging out there. It was the kind of place where diet was a four letter word and grease came with no additional charge. Here, everyone felt like family.**

_Ishizu smiled as she set a cake down on the table in front of her favourite customer, wishing her a happy birthday. _

"Wish princess." She said, smiling.

**What do I need a wish for? I had amazing friends and the coolest dad. But I guess my dad thought I needed one more thing. Cecilia.**

_As the party progressed, a woman with long blonde hair walked up, and obviously not paying attention. Just as dad was about to take a picture, she bumped into him, and apologized quickly. _

That was all it took before the two began to date and, eventually, get married.

They were married at City Hall, and as they walked down the steps, one of Cecilia's friends yelled out, "You look beautiful Cecelia!"

**Along with my new step-mother, came her twin daughters, Tea and Serenity. My step-sisters. But, as long as my dad was happy, so was I. We're going to be one big happy family.**

_Just as the new family gathered for a family picture, Cecelia purposely dropped her bouquet of flowers, although at the time, her new step-daughter didn't know it. As she bent down to pick up the bouquet, the photographer took the picture. Her new step-daughter stood up, and Cecelia said, "One's enough."_

**Unfortunately, this was no fairytale.**

_Later that year, at night, her father sat on her daughter's bed, reading her a story._

"_He took her hand and he kissed her. Then he swooped her up upon his horse and the beautiful princess and handsome prince rode off to his castle." He read with a smile. "Where they lived happily ever after."_

_His daughter looked up at him and smiled, her blue eyes dancing. "Do fairy tales come true dad?"_

"_Well, no," he answered, looking down to his daughter and ruffling her brown hair. "But dreams come true."_

"_Do you have a dream?" she asked in an innocent tone of voice._

"_Yeah." He answered. "My dream is that you grow up and go to college. And then, maybe some day, you'll build your own castle."_

_She smiled. "Where do princesses go to college?"_

"_Uh. . ." he thought aloud. "They go where princes go. They go to Princeton. But, Julia, you know, fairytales aren't just about finding handsome princes. They are about fulfilling your dreams. And about standing up for what you believe in. It's just like I always say. Never let the fear of striking out –"_

"_Keep you from playing the game." Julia finished._

"_Right. Just remember," he said, holding up the book he had been reading. "if you look carefully, this book contains important things that you made need to know later in life."_

_He leant in and kissed his daughter's forehead, who blinked when she noticed her castle snow globe begin to shake slightly. As the shaking began to become more noticeable, the snow globe began to slide close to the edge. _

"Earthquake!" her father yelled as he pulled his young daughter out of bed and positioned her underneath the doorway.

**My kingdom came crumbling down the day the North Bridge earthquake struck the valley.**

"_Help! Help!" Cecelia cried out, her cry reaching Julia and her father's ears. _

Her father straightened up and was about to go and help his wife when Julia grabbed his hand and pleaded with him. "Don't go!"

Her father placed his hands on her shoulders and locked eyes with her. "I'll come right back!"

**I lost my best friend that day.**

_After the earthquake, Julia walked up the stairs, holding a box of her stuff. Her two step-sisters, Tea and Serenity, watched. Julia turned and looked at them, watching them laugh and point at her before turning around and running down the stairs._

_Julia, finally reaching the attic, her new room, walked over to the bed and plopped the box down before sitting down on the bed, and taking a look around. It was the ugliest room she had seen. The grey paint was peeling, and there was a musty smell to it. But, really, there was nothing she could do. Sighing, she lay down and closed her eyes._

**And from then on, the only fairy tales in my life were the ones I read about in books. Since my father didn't leave a will, my step-mother got everything. The house, the diner. And, to her dismay, me.**

_**Eight years later. . .**_

"Julia! Yoo-hoo!" Cecelia called through the small radio that had been installed in her step-daughter's room. When she received no answer, she yelled again. "Julia!"

The yell caused the sleeping teenager to jump, half-waking her up.

She groaned and rubbed her neck, blinking. She had fallen asleep in front of the computer last night. Papers and notebooks were strewn around the desk.

"It's breakfast time!" Cecelia snapped through the intercom.

"Mmm…" Julia replied, rubbing her eyes tiredly before slamming her head back down onto her arms.

_A bit later…_

Cecelia smiled as she leant back in her lawn chair, and began flipping through _Salmon Diet_, occasionally looking up at her twin daughters, Tea and Serenity, practice their swimming routine.

The coach sighed, and tried to be enthusiastic for the two girls, by jumping around slightly and calling out the routine steps. "Lady Liberty, Lady Liberty, around the harbor, around the harbor. And hurricane!"

Tea and Serenity danced as best as they could, according to what their swimming coach had called out.

Cecelia looked up. "Can you believe how extraordinarily gifted my girls are?"

The coach tossed Cecelia a sick look and muttered, in a sarcastic tone, "Absolutely unbelievable. Really."

Cecelia, now getting impatient with her step-daughter, and wanting her breakfast, called out, "Julia!"

"Coming!" Julia called back, as she jogged up to Cecelia, holding a plate of food.

Cecelia looked over the food, before looking up to Julia. "Is this the Norwegian salmon that I asked for? Because I need my Omega 3's."

"Only the best." Julia answer, wringing her hands slightly.

Cecelia took the plate and began to eat, before replying, "Mmhmm. I can tell. They cost me a fortune to fly that stuff from Norwegia."

While Cecelia ate, the coach continued teaching. "And push it, lady, push it lady!"

As Serenity went to climb onto Tea's back, Tea let out a small fart. "Oopsie."

Serenity backed away, looking grossed out. "Eww! Gross!"

Turning, she called out to Cecelia. "Mom!"

"I have a spastic colon!" Tea shot back.

"Well, you have a spastic brain!" Serenity pointed out.

Tea growled and started to fight with Serenity, who began to fight back.

The coach sighed, and decided the fight had to stop. "Stop it ladies! Stop it ladies! Stop!"

Cecelia looked from the fight in the water to her step-daughter. "What are you doing just standing there? Get to work!"

"Cecelia, I can't go to work this morning. I've got a really big test I have to study for –" she began.

"Listen, Julia." Cecelia began, looking up at the brown-haired, blue eyed teenager. "People go to school to get smarter so that they can get a job. You already have a job. It's like skipping a step."

Cecelia shrugged, and brushed her hand in mid-air, as if shooing the teenager away. "Go on, get going."

Julia frowned, looking frustrated, but turned around and began walking back towards the house. As she crossed the lawn, the sprinklers started up and Julia shrieked as she was hit with water. She hurried over to the controls and was prepared to turn it off when Cecelia interrupted.

"No, honey. Leave those on. The lawn's looking a little brown."

"We're supposed to be conserving water! We're going through another draught!" Julia debated.

"Draught is for poor people. You think J. Lo has a brown lawn? People who use extra water have extra class." Cecelia stated.

Julia sighed and took off running, into the house and grabbing her school bag and books. With those in hand, she jumped into her Mustang and drove towards the diner.

At Cecelia's Diner, Ishizu, one of the head managers was talking on the phone. "You call that $3.80? Well, that cow must've cheated on your tip."

Two waitresses on roller skates skated underneath the part of the counter with no problem. But the third waitress, Eleanor, tried and failed to copy the previous two waitresses. As she skated beneath the counter, she bumped her head and shook the counter slightly, making two teenage guys working on homework, look at her in annoyance.

The cook, Rishid, looked at the waitress with a small grin. "Eleanor," he said, pushing a plate out onto the counter for the waitress to pick up.

Eleanor nodded and grabbed the plate before skating back over to the counter and lifting it up, before turning and dropping the counter back into place. She skated over to the customer, delivering the food.

Ishizu walked over to Rishid with a smile. "Rishid, that's enough with the salmon. You've already made a salmon omelet, and salmon soup, and salmon pudding. Come on."

Rishid tossed Ishizu a grin and picked up a large, dead salmon in both arms. He used one hand to make the salmon 'talk'. "Help me, Cecelia wants to eat me!"

Ishizu laughed. "That's nasty."

As Ishizu left, Rishid continued. "Bite me, Ishizu! Bite me!"

Ishizu shook her head lightly, still smiling as she called out, "Eleanor! Order's up!"

Eleanor nodded. "Coming, I got it!"

She skated over to the counter, and picked up the order, skating a few steps before slipping and falling. Rishid dropped the fish and threw his arms out to the side, yelling, "Safe!"

Ishizu looked up from taking an order and winced. "Ooh."

"I'm okay!" Eleanor called, standing up.

Ishizu moved onto another customer. "Chuck, how you doing?"

"Super." Chuck, the customer, answered.

"That's good." Ishizu replied, before opening her notepad to a new page. "So, cheese omelet, extra bacon, crisp, blueberry muffin and a coke?"

Chuck nodded. "Oh, make it a diet coke. I'm trying to watch my weight."

Ishizu nodded, her eyes widening slightly. "Oh, it ain't going nowhere."

As she headed towards the back, to give Rishid the orders, she spotted Julia skating around the diner, piling dirty dishes into a grey bucket. She sighed and walked up to Julia, shaking her head.

"Julia, what're you still doing here?"

"I'm almost done." Julia answered, moving onto another table.

"You're going to be late for school." Ishizu pointed out.

"I'll get there." Julia replied. "She'll go ballistic if I don't finish!"

"I couldn't care less about Cecelia. What I care about is your education."

"But she's –"

"She's got you up at the crack of dawn like some kind of rooster." Ishizu debated.

"But I –"

"Your dad would want you at school, not here."

"Ishizu…" She sighed.

"No more buts. You just leave Cecelia and her big butt to me."

A tired smile crossed Julia's face. "Thanks Ishizu."

Ishizu waved her hand at Julia. "Get."

Julia nodded and skated over to where her bag and books were. She pulled off the roller blades and pulled on her running shoes, grabbing the skates and hurrying out of the diner. She tossed the skates into the back seat, along with her books and bag, and started up her Mustang, driving away from the diner.

* * *

_Alright, there's the first chapter. Remember, this is a parody of A Cinderella Story – one of my favourite movies, even though it stars Hilary Duff shudders Anywho, chapter two is currently being written, and hopefully, it'll be up soon! Please review!_


	2. School Days

_Hey, I'm back from the dead!! Miss me? (crickets chirp) Eh heh, sorry about disappearing like that. I've had a lot of personal things going on, plus I've had Independent Study Units – independent projects that are worth 10 percent of one's final mark – and now exams are coming up. So, I'm going to try and update each of my on-going fics (Friends Forever and Always, Be In My Heart and this fic) this weekend. Please be patient with me. Once this semester ends, I should have a lot more free time on my hands than I do now, and these fics will be updated more often. _

_**Our Sucky Little Keyboard That No One Cares About and Will Probably Never Look At (OSLKTNOCAWPNLA for short)  
**Is OSLKTNOCAWPNLA even a word? Hmm, somehow, I don't think so...but, I can make up words! So can you! Like Fudgeamania! (watches readers back away slowly) ...oops? _

Anything written in normal text (like this) is the actual story.  
_Anything written in italics (like this) is when flashbacks or dreams are occurring.  
_**Anything written in bold (like this) is someone acting as a narrator-slash-voice over. **(You think I'm rich enough to hire two people?)  
**_Anything written in bold italics (like this) are song lyrics. _**

Please note that original characters may be brought in due to the lack of females in Yu-Gi-Oh.

So now, let's begin the torture. . .err, chapter!! (smiles innocently) Oh and by the way, most of this fic is word for word, however, some things may change.

Please review!

* * *

Not twenty minutes later, Julia pulled up to her friend's house, honking her car's horn twice. She looked up to find a some-what old man, a bit on the short side, washing his car. 

Smiling, Julia called out, "Looking good Mr. Motou!"

Mr. Motou, also known as Solomon, looked back up, smiling. "Man's best friend is there Mercedes, Sam."

"I'll remember that."

Just then, one of Julia's friends, Yugi, walked out of the house, wearing dark blue jeans, a red jump-suit pullover, sunglasses and white running shoes. He wore a red baseball cap to the side of his head.

"Anything is possible if you just believe. Anything is possible if you just. . ." Yugi said to himself as he tried to rap.

"See you later." Solomon called out to Yugi, who looked up.

"Uh, five o'clock, a'ight?" Yugi replied back, looking to Solomon.

"Knock 'em dead!" Solomon encouraged, a small grin crossing his face.

Yugi nodded, grinning. He turned back to the car, and paused before climbing in. Julia blinked, tilting her head slightly. Yugi turned back to the old man.

"Grandpa, can you see what I've got to go to school in?" Yugi asked. He turned back to Julia and replied, "No offence Julia, seriously."

Turning back to Solomon, he raised an eyebrow. "But honestly, don't you feel sorry for me?"

Solomon shook his head. "No, I feel sorry about the three cars I got you that you totaled."

"Okay, fine." Yugi sighed in defeat and climbed into the car.

Julia smiled, and cleared her throat. "Ahem. Yugi?"

Yugi turned to look at her and Julia asked her question. "What are you wearing?"

"What?" Yugi asked, turning around to show his friend his outfit. "This is my snoop dizzle look."

"I cannot drive you to school dressed like that." Julia whined lightly.

"Julia, I'm a method actor, okay?" Yugi replied. "This is part of my training."

"I know, I know." She said, reaching over to Yugi, and pulling off his baseball cap, revealing his black, red and blonde spiky hair. "But look at this."

She handed Yugi a pocket mirror, who looked into it. A young boy of sixteen years old with large amethyst eyes and unusually messy hair looked back at him. He handed the mirror back to Julia, and climbed back out of the car. "Alright. Take two."

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Julia and Yugi were pulling into the school parking lot. 

"Three more parking spots ahead. Watch out, watch out." Yugi explained, coaching Julia, who rolled her eyes.

As she was about to move ahead, another vehicle pulled up and took the spot Julia was eyeing.

Three girls walked up towards the parking lot. The one who seemed to look like she was the leader from her facial expressions was wearing the latest fashion: a dark purple mini-skirt with a white strapless shirt, revealing a small amount of her stomach, dark purple boots that ended just below the knee and a dark purple jacket that was currently undone. On her ears, she wore large silver hoop earrings. Her long blonde hair flowed down to her waist, where it curled slightly, and the lids of her amethyst eyes were covered in dark purple eyeliner, black eyeliner and mascara.

"Well, if it isn't Mai Valentine." Yugi commented from the passenger seat, a grin forming on his face. "Ladies in waiting."

He turned to Julia and nodded wisely. "Mai wants me so bad."

"You've never even talked to her before."

"Oh? I talked to her, okay?" Yugi pointed out. "In my mind. Let me tell ya, in my mind . . . she wants me _so _bad!"

Julia rolled her eyes. "Yugi, you can do so much better than Mai Valentine, even in your mind."

Yugi grinned and saw a point, pointing to it. "There's a nice spot."

As Julia started pulling towards it, another car cut her off and she yelled in frustration, "Come on!"

Mai and her two friends laughed at Julia and then turned to look at the car. Out of the jeep climbed three boys. Two were tall, both having brown eyes, but one had blonde hair and the other had brown hair, coming to a point. The third boy was somewhat tall, shorter than the other two. He had his black hair with red streaks, and blonde bangs. Scarily enough, he looked a lot like Yugi, except he also had blonde streaks in his hair. His eyes were a deep amethyst colour, and were much sharper than Yugi's.

"Joey!" Mai called from across the parking lot, and walked towards the three boys with her two friends.

"I swear," Julia started, rolling her eyes in frustration. "People like Mai and Joey are genetically programmed to find each other. How can so much ego be in one relationship?"

"Imagine what they say about you." Yugi replied.

"They don't even know I exist." Julia pointed back out, still watching the group of six teenagers.

Just then, Mai and her two friends looked at Julia and Yugi and smirked. One of her friends shuddered.

"Eew, _loser queen _at 3 o'clock." She commented, hugging herself.

In a somewhat loud voice, so Julia could hear, she called out, "The white suite is for cool people only. No geeks."

Smiling, she laughed slightly and gave a small, perky jump.

The tall boy with the brown hair and brown eyes grinned at Julia. "Hey, uh, Diner girl?"

Julia closed her eyes and then looked to the boy, tilting her head and inviting him to continue.

"Can I get a breakfast burrito to go? Thank you!"

The group of six laughed and left the parking lot, and Yugi turned to Julia. "And you thought they didn't even know you existed."

"Right." Julia replied in a sarcastic tone of voice before driving around the parking lot, looking for a parking spot.

* * *

With Mai, and her two friends walked down the hall, chanting, "Move, move, move, move." to those who were in their way. 

Rex Raptor, a short boy wearing a red toque hat with a long sleeved green jacket over a white t-shirt, brown pants and white running shoes, blushed and muttered, "Hi."

Mai looked at him, and shoved him out of the way with a simple, "Move."

Tea and Serenity walked up to Mai, smiles on their face, as Mai and her two friends continued walking. "Mai! Mai! Hi sister-friend!"

Mai rolled her eyes, and walked by with a "Hi.", completely ignoring Tea and Serenity. She turned to one of them and asked, "Why do we tolerate them?"

"Because they gave you a Prada bag for your birthday." one answered.

"Ooh, Prada bag." The other chimed in. "Cool, right?"

* * *

Over with Julia and Yugi, who had found a parking spot and were now heading towards class, met up with Espa Roba, a friend of theirs. 

Espa Roba smiled at the two. "Greetings Julia. You look absolutely stunning today, as for usual."

Julia smiled. "Oh, thank you Roba."

"Oh, if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to my Starship." Espa Roba began, before walking away. As he walked away, he pulled out a strange device. Two bowls were on the end of it. He held one up to his ear and held the other up in the air. "Hello? Lieutenant Roba here! Hello? Can you hear me? Captain? Going in and out!"

"Poor guy." Yugi commented, shaking his head, tugging on his denim jacket slightly.

"At least he's happy." Julia pointed out.

"Happy?" Yugi asked, raising an eyebrow. "That guy lives in another world."

"Sometimes fantasy is better than reality, Yugi." Julia began before hearing her cell phone ring. She picked it up and flipped it open, seeing she had a text message waiting for her.

"Speaking of fantasy," Yugi trailed off, smirking.

"See you later!" Julia waved before leaving.

"Ah yes, the secret admirer." Yugi winked. "Crackin'."

* * *

Later that day, at lunch, Julia found herself sitting on a round, stone bench, chatting with her secret admirer via text messaging. 

"Where have you been? We haven't talked for ages." The text message, from DuelistBoy, read.

Julia smiled and typed in a reply that read, "We talked this morning."

"I can't stop thinking about you. What's on your mind right now?" DuelistBoy's reply was.

"You first." Julia wrote back, under the code name, Princeton Girl.

"Well, I'm thinking Professor Underwood has dissected one 2 many bugs."

Julia looked up at the said professor, a short little man with blue hair cut in a mushroom cut, and gold glasses, a bug decorated into the middle. He was sitting on the bench, flapping his arms while shrieking something about going to find his queen bee and save her before he dissected her.

She chuckled to herself before looking around the school yard, in an attempt to find out who was messaging her. But, to her dismay, many of the students were using their cell phones.

Turning back to her phone, she typed in "LOL."

A moment later, a reply popped up. "I wanna hear your laugh. When can we meet?"

Julia smiled to herself, biting her lip while thinking before typing in one word. The bell rings and she closes her phone, grabbing her messenger bag and hurrying into the school.

Sitting on the other side of the round bench, sitting right behind Julia, sat a tall young man with blonde hair. He smiled as he read the last message.

"Soon," was all the message said.

* * *

_Well, there's the second chapter. I'm gonna hope that it turned out somewhat well._

**blue-angel11: **_Yeah, I love the movie too! And it's a real shame that Chad Michael Murray is engaged, huh? Well, at least we can always see him on One Tree Hill, ne? _

**Chinkeepdaughter126: **_I have A Cinderella Story on DVD. It's a shame that Hilary Duff plays the part of Samantha. I don't hate her, it's just that she annoys me to no end. frowns Oh well, at least Chad Michael Murray is in the movie! giggles And, yeah, I guess you could watch the movie all the way through, considering this is practically a word-for-word script. _

**miz Greenleaf: **_Well, you can see Yami has already been brought in. He's one of Joey's friends. smiles I love Valon too and I would love to bring him and his buddies in, but I can't think of any parts that would fit them really. Everyone, up until this point, has been given parts that have related to them. For example, Austin and Shelby are sorta-dating, and Joey and Mai are sorta going out. Mai is a perky person who thinks she better than everyone else, and Shelby thinks the same way. smiles If you want to think of some way your favourite characters can be incorporated, then by all means, let me know in your review! _

**Ashleigh Kaiba: **_grins So how many nicknames do you have for me? Isn't it like, what, 8 now? Keep them coming, cause I gotta make a list soon. Otherwise, I'm not gonna remember all my nicknames. Well, you know, Ashleigh Kaiba Wannabe I like my nickname for you too smiles, I like this idea too. _

**Important Notice For Readers: **

_I need a few females for a few extra parts that have not yet been filled. I know they may not be the greatest parts, but I would really appreciate if you could help me. Besides, it's your chance to be in this, or, if you don't want to submit a character, why don't you give me ideas about who should fill these roles: _

Caitlin and Madison (Mai's two friends)  
Austin's father, Andy (really bossy and strict. Sounds like Kaiba.)  
_DJ (the girl who makes all the announcements)  
Mrs Wells (some form of authority)  
__Robbie (the guy who owns the costume shop)  
__A few of the cinderellas that Austin meets when his two buddies try to help him find Samantha (if someone ends up with these parts, feel free to tell me if you'd like to have any other part).  
__Football Coach  
__Cheerleaders  
__Two Waitresses _

_If you know any of the characters who should be brought in, and they somehow fit any of those roles, or you wanna be part of the fic, then please choose any one of the characters from the list. _

If you are submitting yourself, all you need to tell me about is the following:  
-what your OC looks like  
-how your OC acts (personality wise)  
-what role(s) you would like. But please remember, it's first come-first serve.

Anywho, see you next chapter! Please review!


	3. A FatherSon Talk, Forbidden To Go

_**Our Sucky Little Keyboard That No One Cares About and Will Probably Never Look At (OSLKTNOCAWPNLA for short )  
**Is OSLKTNOCAWPNLA even a word? Hmm, somehow, I don't think so...but, I can make up words! So can you! Like Fudgeamania! watches readers (back away slowly) ...oops? _

Anything written in normal text (like this) is the actual story.  
_Anything written in italics (like this) is when flashbacks or dreams are occurring.  
_**Anything written in bold (like this) is someone acting as a narrator-slash-voice over. **(You think I'm rich enough to hire two people?)  
**_Anything written in bold italics (like this) are song lyrics. _**

Please note that original characters may be brought in due to the lack of females in Yu-Gi-Oh.

So now, let's begin the torture. . .err, chapter!! (smiles innocently) Oh and by the way, most of this fic is word for word, however, some things may change.

Please review!

* * *

"How's your day so far?" DuelistBoy asked, sending Julia an instant message through a chat room a few days later during study hall. 

"Ah, raging step mom, work and cool kids who can't get over themselves." Julia typed back, before continuing. "Ever feel like you don't belong?"

"Absolutely. I can be surrounded by a sea of people, and just feel all alone." DuelistBoy's reply read. "But then I think of you."

"Hey DuelistBoy? You think we've ever met?"

"I don't know. Our school has over 3500 kids."

"That narrows it down." Julia joked, before sitting back in her chair.

"Well, at least I can eliminate the guys. You're not a guy right? Because if you were, I'll kick your butt." DuelistBoy replied, seeming to joke.

"I am not a guy. Have you told your dad about Princeton yet?" Julia asked, before looking up and studying the faces of those who were in the library using the computers. Right across from her, sat Joey Wheeler, his blonde hair falling into his brown eyes.

She smiled slightly before shaking her head. He looked way to deep in thought to be talking to her.

"If only I could. I haven't even told him I want to be a writer." DuelistBoy replied.

* * *

Later that night, Julia was on the computer yet again, continuing her conversation with DuelistBoy. 

"My father always encouraged me to pursue my dreams." Julia replied, still under the screen name, Princeton Girl.

"Not mine. He's got a whole other plan for my life."

Julia sighed lightly, reading the reply before typing. "It's 2 a.m. We've been at this for five hours."

"I think we broke our record." DuelistBoy replied.

"We should turn in. Sweet dreams." Julia typed before going to close the window, but DuelistBoy sent a reply that made her stop.

"Wait. I can't sleep without knowing there's hope. Half the night I waste in sighs, and wakeful dawn in sorrow. For the hand, for the lips, for the eyes, for the meeting of tomorrow."

She smiled. "Quoting Tennyson. Impressive."

"Please meet me at the Homecoming dance. I'll be waiting for you at 11:00 in the middle of the dance floor. Sweet dreams."

* * *

"Whoa!" Yugi yelled, ducking a baseball that Julia had hit. "That was close." 

Julia smiled innocently, before Yugi continued, grinning. "Julia, this is great! You're finally gonna be able to meet him."

"I don't know. This guy is too good to be true." Julia answered, swinging at another ball, and hitting it, causing it to fly over Yugi's head.

Yugi loaded another baseball. "Come on, it's been a month since you met him in the Princeton chat room. Okay? You talk to him all the time. You know him."

"I know. But he doesn't know me." Julia whined. "What if I meet him and I'm not what he expects? Maybe this whole relationship is better for cyberspace."

Seeing the ball, Julia struck it hard, causing it to slam into Yugi's kneecap.

"Ow!" Yugi yelled, holding his knee while hopping around on one foot. He jumped around for a minute or two before turning back to his friend. "Listen, okay? You have to go to that dance, okay?"

Julia sighed, and raised an eyebrow at Yugi, who continued. "This DuelistBoy guy isn't gonna be in one place for long. Alright?"

Julia sighed again and gripped the bat tighter. Yugi noticed this and finished off his rant. "If it helps, I'll be your escort."

"Really?" Julia asked, loosening her grip.

"Yeah." Yugi answered, nodding.

"You rock Yugi." Julia smiled, lowering her bat before picking up her ringing cell phone. "Hello?"

* * *

Over at the Montgomery house, Cecelia was on the phone, talking to her stepdaughter, her hair up in numerous curlers. 

"Julia? Some little rat got into my salmon and ate it all. I need more salmon, and pick up my dry cleaning." Cecelia replied, looking into the fridge. "And wash the Chev."

* * *

Yugi raised an eyebrow at his friend, who shrugged and flipped the phone closed. 

"Cecelia." She replied simply before shoving the phone back into her jeans pocket. She picked the bat up once more and readied it. "One more pitch."

"Why do you act like her slave?" Yugi asked, picking up a ball.

"Simple. No Cecelia, no money for Princeton." Julia replied, rolling her eyes.

"That sucks." Yugi replied, now loading the baseball.

"Tell me about it." She quickly answered before eyeing the flying ball. She smirked lightly as she pictured Cecelia's face on the ball, and she swung hard, hitting the ball and causing it to fly into another playing field, and landing at Joey's feet.

Joey blinked and looked up from the football he was tossing to his friend, Duke Devlin.

"Damn, what girl was that?" Duke asked, his dark green eyes looking around as he reached up and twirled a strand of dark green hair around his finger.

"Now, that's impressive." Joey replied, pointing at Julia, a small grin crossing his face.

"So, what are you and Mai going to the dance as?" Duke asked.

"I don't know if I'm going with Mai." He answered, tossing the football back to Duke.

Duke ran his hand over the football before raising an eyebrow at Joey. "You're not going to go with Mai? Who are you going with?"

"I don't know. It's a mystery to me." Joey bent down and picked up the baseball, hurling it across the playing field and towards Julia.

"Thank you!" Julia called to him, blushing lightly.

Joey nodded. "You're welcome!"

* * *

"Okay guys, a little bit more, move it further, move it further. . ." a tall man, reaching six feet plus, with brown hair and cold blue eyes, ordered to two of his employees who were carrying a sign. The two workers placed it at the entrance of the driveway that led to Kaiba Corp. Car Wash. 

This man who had been ordering the two employees was Seto Kaiba, the CEO of Kaiba Corp. and a man you never want to cross, because if you did, you could consider yourself fired.

In addition to being the CEO of Kaiba Corporation, a large company that dealt with many forms of technology, Seto had decided to open little sub-businesses that used the technology he created. All the sub-businesses were under the company name of Kaiba Corporation. His sub-businesses included a game shop and a car wash.

Seto looked at the sign and smirked slightly. "Yeah, right there."

"30 off for USC Alumni." Seto read, his smirk still visible.

Nearby, his son Joseph, commonly referred to as Joey, was talking to a customer, a clipboard and pen in his hand. He looked down at the clipboard as he wrote, his blonde bangs falling into his brown eyes.

Looking up, he turned to one of the workers, and said, "Let's rip my friend. Make sure you get this rim alright?"

The employee nodded and directed the customer over to another area.

Seto watched his son for a minute before walking over to him. "Joey?"

The said teen looked up. "What's up?"

"I found all those college brochures in your bedroom." Seto stated.

"What are you doing in my room?!" Joey growled in anger. Shaking his head, he brushed it off before turning to the matter at hand. In a calm voice, he replied, "I'm just trying to keep my options open."

"You don't need any options. It's all taken care of. Look son," Seto began, locking eyes with Joey. "We've been working on this program since you were nine years old. You're gonna play your football. You're gonna graduate. And then you're gonna manage Kaiba Corporation with me. You're future's set. Don't mess with the plan. Alright?"

Joey mentally rolled his eyes. "Won't think of it."

Seto nodded and watched a few cars pull up into the car wash before turning back to his son.

"There are new customers. Make them happy." Seto replied simply, before stalking off into the office, slamming the door behind him.

Joey rolled his eyes and walked up to a silver Chevrolet. A young teenaged girl sat around in the driver's seat, her brown hair pulled up into a ponytail. In the back seat laid a couple of plastic bags holding clothing, obviously dry cleaning. Other bags sat on the passenger seat and on the floor in front of the passenger seat.

"You need a wax." Joey said, tapping the roof of the car with his pen, before looking to the clipboard and writing on it.

"Excuse me?" The girl asked, turning her head to look at Joey. Her tone, although she meant nothing by it, seemed to come out sharp.

Joey smirked slightly. "I meant the car."

"Oh. Fine." The girl asked, waving her hand, seeming to brush the comment off.

Just then, two dirty cars drove up beside the girl. Through the thin coat of dirt, it was possible to see the colour of the car. One car seemed to be purple and the other seemed to be pink. The girl rolled her eyes as Tea and Serenity Montgomery climbed out of the cars.

The girls smiled widely at Joey.

"Joey!" Tea called, smiling.

"Hi!" Serenity chimed in.

"Yeah!"

"We need our cars washed!" Serenity smiled, waving her hand over the car in mid-air.

"Yeah, look." Tea cried in cheery tone of voice, pointing to the car.

"Dirt!" Serenity cheered lightly.

Joey nodded. "I'll see you ladies."

Turning back to Julia, he handed her a piece of paper. "Alright, take this inside when you're done. Thank you very much."

The girl took the paper and watched Joey walk off. She turned towards the twins and climbed out of the car, walking over to them.

"So, who did you guys pay to make your cars so dirty?" Julia asked, pulling on her denim jacket.

"Excuse me!" Tea snapped. "Like, who are you? The dirt police?"

Serenity laughed. "Haha, like, the dirt police? Like, excuse me ma'am? Do you know about the dirt?"

Tea and Julia both watched Serenity laugh by herself.

Tea shook her head and looked back at Serenity. "You should've stopped at the dirt police."

She turned to Julia. "You know, you should really get going, 'cause mom is looking for you."

"Oh?" Julia questioned, raising an eyebrow. "Where is she?"

"At home." Serenity answered. "Baking."

* * *

After Julia completed some of her errands, she went into the backyard to find a shiny metal coffin-like box. 

"You wanted to see me?" Julia asked, as she walked up to her stepmother.

"Yes." Cecelia replied.

The lid of the 'coffin' lifted to reveal Cecelia completely nude and wearing blood-red coloured goggles with tiny black openings for eyes.

Julia gasped an "Oh!" and looked away, closing her eyes as Cecelia grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her body.

"You have to finish your errands because I need you to head back to the diner and take the night shift."

"Um, tonight's my night off," Julia pointed out, biting her lip. "and, um, it's the Halloween dance at school."

Cecelia turned her head and looked at her step-daughter through the goggles, hugging the towel close. "I know, but you need to stop being so self-centered, Julia, and start thinking of others. And others need you to go to the diner and mop the floors tonight."

"But I really need to go to this dance tonight, Cecelia. I have to!" Julia whined lightly.

"Come on, Julia. You need to earn your tuition money for college. You got to bust a lot of tables." Cecelia shot back.

"Cecilia," Julia debated. "I'm a straight-A student, I work seven days a week, and I'm taking extra AP classes. I never ask you for anything! Please let me go to this dance!"

"Sweetheart," Cecelia sighed, shaking her head slightly while watching her stepdaughter. "Now that you're old enough, there's something I always wanted to tell you and I think you are ready to hear it."

Julia raised an eyebrow, a look of confusion crossing her face.

"You're not very pretty, and you're not very bright." Cecelia sighed before smiling. "I'm so glad we had that talk."

* * *

At Cecelia's diner, a couple of hours later, Julia skated out on her roller skates, holding two large packages of napkins. Spotting Mai and her friends talking excitedly and loudly, Julia rolled her eyes and groaned. Not paying attention to where she was going, she skated right into Cecelia and fell backwards onto her butt, dropping the napkin packages. 

Cecelia looked down at Julia, frowning. "You're in my way."

Ishizu looked up, rolling her eyes walking up to the two. "Oh, it must be Halloween. Look at what just flew in. The wicked witch in the well."

Ignoring her comment, Cecelia walked over to the cash register and opened it, grabbing some bills and shoving them into her bra.

"I'm gonna be picking up Tea and Serenity at the Halloween dinner. I'll be back by twelve sharp."

Julia climbed to her feet and grabbed the packages of napkins. "Okay."

Ishizu quirked a brow. "Oh, still got room in there, huh?"

Cecelia smirked at Ishizu coldly. "Well, if it isn't little Betty Crocker from the cave?"

Ishizu growled and curled her hands into fists.

Cecelia continued, a cold smirk still on her face. "Don't you have something more important to do? Like cleaning toilets?"

"You know, I would. But I'm too busy running this place." Ishizu pointed out. "But be my guest."

"I'm sorry, I can't." Cecelia smiled happily as she held her hands up in front of Ishizu's face. "I just got a 150 dollar manicure. Silver Palm Trees."

"Ooh!" Ishizu commented, faking amazement. A moment later, she frowned. "You know, go on with it Cecelia, and I'm going to find a place to put my six dollar pedicure."

Cecelia frowned and looked down at Ishizu's shoes. "Where are the skates? They're a part of the uniform."

Ishizu sighed. "Cecelia, if I wanted to look like a clown, I'll join the circus."

"You're a part of _my _circus." Cecelia snarled. "I'll have you clean the elephant butt with a wet one."

Ishizu locked her jaw, glaring at Cecelia, who in turn, smirked coldly.

"I don't think you realize that I could –"

"Fire me?" Ishizu cut off. "Oh, please. Go right ahead! Let's see how many customers you have when you do!"

"I am a very appealing person!" Cecelia shot back before storming out of the diner, slamming the door behind her. On the wall, beside the door, the guitar clock shook slightly.

_

* * *

_

_Please review!_

**miz greenleaf: **_Ooh, you're just going to have to stick around to see if the funky, sexy, all around hot badass Doom worker would be Robbie. (winks) Thanks. And I'm sorry (laughs) but I can so see Joey as Austin. The two, for some reason, I find those two so similar in personality. Maybe it's just me. . ._

**chinkeepdaughter126: **_Ooh, glad to know you like this fic. Speaking of which, yours is awesome. Planning to update soon? 'Cause you know, it's not nice to torture reviewers. (grins) Even though it's fun. XD_

**blue-angel11: **_You're right. Mai is the perfect person to play Shelby. (laughs) I was going to make her that from the start, regardless of who was playing Austin. But, I decided to keep Joey as Austin just because Joey and Mai are sort of a couple, and Austin and Shelby are sort of a couple. Besides, Joey looks like Chad Michael Murray. LOL. By the way, your OC, Jamie-Ross Macyntire is gonna play the part of Caitlin, so that leaves Madison open, as well as the others. (grins)_

_Hope you guys liked this chapter. I'm hoping to get another one up soon!_


	4. Preparing for Romance

_Oh man! I am so sorry about the lack of updates! I've had a lot of internet problems (stupid weather (grumbles)) and it turns out that the password ended up changing so even though the internet could have been working, it wasn't because the password ended up being changed. Ah, it sucks. Anyways, I'm planning to update my other fics real soon. I finished exams this afternoon (hopefully I passed. . .) and I have a few days off now. So, sorry about the updates and lack of reviews (if you have fics that should've had reviews from me, but you didn't get any, and they've been updated, just let me know and I'll go read them 'cause I want to read updated fics (smiles))._

_**Our Sucky Little Keyboard That No One Cares About and Will Probably Never Look At (OSLKTNOCAWPNLA for short )  
**Is OSLKTNOCAWPNLA even a word? Hmm, somehow, I don't think so...but, I can make up words! So can you! Like Fudgeamania! watches readers back away slowly ...oops? _

Anything written in normal text (like this) is the actual story.  
_Anything written in italics (like this) is when flashbacks or dreams are occurring.  
_**Anything written in bold (like this) is someone acting as a narrator-slash-voice over. **(You think I'm rich enough to hire two people?)  
**_Anything written in bold italics (like this) are song lyrics. _**

Please note that original characters may be brought in due to the lack of females in Yu-Gi-Oh.

So now, let's begin the torture. . .err, chapter! smiles innocently Oh and by the way, most of this fic is word for word, however, some things may change.

Please review!

* * *

Ishizu sighed and walked back over to Julia, who was now standing behind the counter, shoving the napkins into the metal dispenser.

"I'm a very appealing person." Julia and Ishizu mimicked Cecelia before exchanging grins.

"That woman can make a nun swear," Ishizu commented in a mutter.

"I'm glad I'm graduating a year early so I can be three thousand miles away in Princeton." Julia commented, shoving the napkins into the dispenser.

Ishizu turned to Julia and pointed a finger at her. "You can get a scholarship to the University of Mars, and it still wouldn't be far enough."

Julia smiled slightly and was about to comment when Eleanor, another waitress, skated up to her, holding a couple plates. "Julia, honey, I'm desperate. Can you cover the back for me?"

Julia looked to the table and noticed that Mai and her friends were there.

"But, I. . .uh. . ."

Eleanor tossed her a desperate look before skating off again. Julia sighed and grabbed her notepad, skating over to the table.

As she skated up, Mai was looking through the menu. "Why do I have a feeling I wouldn't be able to get a zone meal here?"

A some-what tall girl with emerald green eyes and long lilac coloured hair pulled up into a half-ponytail, the remaining hair being tied together with long orange feathers, and her bangs in a side-part, spoke up. "I already ate."

"Amara," another boy, roughly her height with black spiked hair, red and blonde streaks running through it, and blonde bangs with sharp amethyst eyes smirked. "Wax doesn't count as a food group."

Amara tossed the boy a sick look as Mai looked up.

"Wow, the visiting diner girl." Mai smirked.

"What can I get you guys?" Julia asked, standing at the table.

"What can I get here that has no sugar, no carbs," Mai started before looking up. "and is fat-free?"

Julia rolled her eyes before pretending to think for a moment.

"Water."

"Water." Joey's friend, Yami, mimicked Julia, snickering.

"Was that supposed to be a joke?" Mai's other friend, Jamie-Ross, a girl with long brown hair with blonde highlights and hazel coloured eyes, asked, quirking a brow at Julia.

"It's funny." Joey commented, a grin crossing his face.

Mai sighed and looked up. "I'll have a Voz."

"Excuse me?" Julia asked, quirking a brow.

"It's water. From Norway." Amara replied in an annoyed tone of voice.

Tristan, a tall boy with brown hair and eyes, snickered along with Yami. Joey rolled his eyes, trying, himself, not to laugh.

"Sorry, we only have water from the Valley." Julia answered, getting slightly annoyed.

"Oh well," Mai sighed, glancing back down at the menu before looking up at Julia and tossing her a cheeky grin. "I'll have an iced tea."

"Make that two." Yami spoke up, lifting his arm a bit and pointing up at the ceiling.

"You know," Tristan spoke up, grinning. "I'm still waiting on that breakfast burrito, diner girl. Thank you."

Julia rolled her eyes, a look of disgust crossing her face before skating away. Mai frowned.

"Ah, she is _so _not getting a tip." Mai commented.

Joey turned to look at Mai, one arm resting on the table, the other resting on the top of the booth. "Mai, we need to talk. Privately."

"Anything you say to me," Mai replied, looking back at Joey. "you can say in front of my peeps."

Yami and Tristan, who were sitting beside Joey, leant in closer towards the table, while Amara and Jamie-Ross, who were sitting beside Mai, leant in as well.

"Okay." Joey nodded, locking eyes with Mai. "I want to break up."

Amara and Jamie-Ross exchanged looks, drawing in a sharp breath before looking back to the blondes.

"Wow." Yami replied a moment later, nodding, his blonde bangs swaying lightly.

"What?" Mai shrieked. "Are you in love with somebody else?"

"I think so." Joey replied.

"No _way_!" Jamie-Ross cried out lightly.

"What? Who?" Tristan asked, nudging his best friend in the arm. "Tea?"

Joey mentally gagged to himself at the thought. He turned to look back at Mai.

"I don't know. Can we just be –" he started.

Mai glared at Joey and pointed a finger at his face. She shrieked. "Don't say the word _friends_!"

Joey's eyes, as well as Tristan and Yami's, went slightly wide. Tristan pulled Joey closer to him and a bit farther away from the raging blonde.

"Now, fortunately for you," Mai waved her hand, closing her eyes. "I'm gonna overlook this little mental breakdown of yours."

Joey rolled his eyes and she continued, her eyes opening. "Just chill out. We're gonna go get ready for the dance and I'll see you there. Hmmm?"

Before he could reply, Jamie-Ross and Amara climbed out of the booth, allowing Mai to slip out as well. The three girls left the diner, Mai slamming the door on the way out. The remaining boys winced lightly.

"Later," Yami replied in a quiet voice.

"Later." Tristan waved slightly, a sick looking expression on his face.

"Well," Yami said, looking at Tristan. "She really took it well."

Tristan and Yami both cracked up laughing as Joey climbed out of the booth. Just then, Julia skated up with the two drinks.

Tristan waved. "Later, diner girl."

Julia quirked a brow as Tristan and Yami left. Joey sighed and walked up to Julia, opening his wallet. Julia sighed and locked eyes with him. "Don't worry about it."

She skated away and back up to the counter, standing across from Ishizu.

"You know," Ishizu commented. "Those kids remind me of why I used to fight with my siblings when we didn't live under ground anymore."

She reached over and took the cups from Julia just as Yugi entered the diner, wearing black pants, a long sleeved black shirt that tied up near the neck (Julia thought the shirt resembled a pirate shirt), a black wide brimmed hat, black running shoes and a black mask.

Joey, who was just leaving, tossed Yugi a glance but shrugged it off and left.

"Have no fear! Zorro is here!" Yugi cheered, posing, his black cape swaying slightly. "And he's got the keys to his grandfather's Mercedes!"

Walking over to Julia, he blinked. "You're not going to the dance dressed as a bus girl are you?"

"Yugi," Julia greeted, looking at him and sighing. "I'm not going."

"What do you mean you're not going?" Yugi blinked. He attempted to follow Julia behind the counter, but Ishizu shoved him lightly back out.

"Okay, okay. Sorry." Yugi said, backing away. He climbed up onto a stool and watched his best friend.

"Uh, what about cyber dude?"

"Cyber dude?" Ishizu asked, her dark eyes locking on Julia. "Is he talking about the boy who's been sending you those love notes?"

"Ishizu, they're not love notes. They're emails." Julia clarified.

"Julia, if a man is taking his time to write down his feelings for you, it's a love note." Ishizu debated.

Yugi smiled, nodding at Ishizu.

"You've got a secret admirer." Ishizu teased, a grin crossing her tanned face.

"And he wants to meet her tonight at the dance." Yugi pointed out, pointing a finger at Julia.

Ishizu rested a hand on her hip, the other against the counter. "What are you still doing here?"

"I'm obeying orders." Julia replied, grabbing a bar towel and wiping down the counter.

"Julia, Julia. This is your true love!" Yugi whined.

"Well, true love is gonna have to wait." Julia shot back, cleaning the counter, not looking at Yugi.

"Oh, girl. Please." Ishizu moaned. "Save all the drama for the soap opera. You're going to that dance."

Julia looked up at the Egyptian manager as Yugi snapped his fingers while moving his arm a few times while saying, "You keep going _girlfriend_!"

Ishizu shot Yugi a questionable look before looking back to Julia.

"I can't go. If Cecelia found out, she would _kill _me!" Julia complained before stopping. After a moment, she added on. "Then bring me back to clean up the mess."

"If she wants to hurt you, she's gonna have to go through me." Ishizu retorted, frowning.

Yugi snapped his fingers a few times again, nodding his head. "You go ahead _girlfriend_! Do your thang!"

Ishizu shot Yugi a frown. "Call me girlfriend one more time."

Yugi shrunk back. "Okay, sorry."

Ishizu looked back to Julia and sighed. "Julia, your dad did not leave this Earth wanting you to be unhappy. It's time for you to find your own bliss, starting with this dance."

"You need to listen to Ishizu." Rishid said, looking up from poking a dead fish with a knife. "You are always studying, you are always working."

He poked the fish a couple more times. "You need some time to yourself."

"Yeah." Eleanor added on. "Why don't you go out and bust some moves?"

Rishid stuck the knife into the fish and grinned and started dancing around the kitchen.

"Get your freak on!" he half-shrieked as he danced around the kitchen some more, completely forgetting the fish with the knife stuck in its side. He hummed a little as he attempted to "get his freak on."

The employees and Yugi watched him for a few moments, now disturbed just slightly.

Eleanor turned back to Julia with a smile. "Whatever it is that you kids do these days."

Julia smiled. "You know what?"

Yugi and Ishizu both quirked a brow as Julia continued. "You guys are right. I never do anything for myself!"

"No." Yugi pointed out.

"And I deserve to have some fun."

"That's right." Ishizu nodded.

"Alright girl! _Yeah_!" Yugi yelled out, punching the air as he fell backwards off the stool.

"I am going to that dance."

"Okay, great!" Yugi moaned in reply as he sat on the diner floor, rubbing his rear end.

"Yeah!" Rishid yelled out, still dancing around the kitchen. Ishizu looked at him and became deeply disturbed as she watched her adopted brother attempt to dance with kitchen supplies.

"And I'm gonna meet my true love and dance all night!"

"Yeah!" Ishizu cheered.

The whole diner cheered and clapped except for Rishid, who was now yelling out in pain as he ran face-first into the freezer door.

Ishizu shook her head at her adopted brother's antics before giving her attention back to Julia.

"I can't go." Julia sighed.

"What?" Ishizu questioned, now confused.

"I don't have a costume." Julia pointed out.

"Hmm." Ishizu thought for a moment before speaking up. "But you will."

She turned to Yugi. "You coming Zorro?"

* * *

A few minutes later, Julia, Yugi and Ishizu were all hurrying down the street to a shop. The shop owner, a some-what tall man with a muscular body and brown hair falling into his brown eyes, has just flipped the sign from open to close as Ishizu reached the door.

"Valon, Julia needs a costume!" Ishizu pleaded.

"No, no Ishizu." Valon answered in an English accent, closing his eyes and shaking his head for a moment. "I'm closed."

"Oh, come on! I'll give you free breakfast for a week!" Ishizu shot at him, pointing at the door.

Valon stopped for a minute. "Make it a month."

Ishizu rolled her eyes and agreed, hurrying in as Valon opened the door and let the three into the store.

Moments later, Ishizu was shifting through costumes on a rack. "Ra, there has to be _something _in here!"

Yugi was up on the second floor. "There's this one. . ."

Julia shifted through a rack of costumes, walking and tripping over the wheel of the rack. "Oof."

Valon, also looking, found something he liked and gave it to Julia, ushering her in. Coming back out a minute later dressed as a magician wearing a pink cape and hat.

Valon gave a small jump and in a happy voice, he cried, "Oh, _way_!"

Ishizu shook her head. "No way."

She grabbed another costume and handed it to Julia, who took it and changed, this time coming out as a witch with a grey wig.

Yugi took off his hat, and grabbed a headband that had a fake bloody knife attached to it. When he wore it, it made him look like the knife was going through his head. He grinned. "You're killing me here!"

Julia rolled her eyes and continued to change. The third time she came out as a pig. Turning her back to the other three, she bent low and shook the butt of the costume. "Puny, puny, puny, puny."

They all laughed before she changed yet again, this time walking out of the change room as a Hawaiian dancer.

Yugi's mouth dropped, wearing a pair of glasses that had plastic eyeballs dangling out of them.

"Aloha!" he greeted, his face reddening slightly.

"No, no. I got something." Valon shook his head, handing Julia another costume. She walked into the change room, changed and walked back out as a nun and sneezed.

"Bless you," everyone replied.

The last and final attempt was when Julia walked out wearing a suit of armor. She lifted up the visor and glanced weakly at Ishizu.

"Ishizu, this is hopeless!" She whined before the visor slammed shut, causing Julia to stumble and nearly fall backwards.

Ishizu raised her eyes, her head resting in her arms. She looked through the display case. She lifted her head and tapped the glass top.

"Valon, let me see that mask."

"I don't have an outfit that goes with that." Valon replied, but reached in and grabbed the mask anyways.

Ishizu finger it, studying it. "Yeah, but I do."

_

* * *

_

_Once again, I'm really sorry about the wait, and I hope that this chapter made up for it. _

**Ashleigh Kaiba: **_Good for you! You became smarter! XD And yeah, I feel loved that you let me use your character. Err, one of them! And yeah, next time, I'll try to update soon._

**scarlettWALES: **_I brought Valon in, though I think I made him sorta gay. Hmmm. . .but Valon's awesome either way. Gay or not. Heehee, I brought your beloved Valon in. Too bad he's not in it for a long time. And you're right, it's not fair that there are not many Valon fics. Perhaps I should write one when I come up with a reasonable plot line._

**chinkeepdaughter126: **_Oh yeah, I would know about torturing reviewers. (smirks) I'm gonna go look up your fic and review the new chapter. It sucks that you have to wait for an update. Heehee, Kaiba as Joey's father, yeah, it's kinda funny to imagine, but it does work._

**blue-angel11: **_Ooh yeah, I can't wait till I get to the part where Yugi and Mai make out. I'm gonna have a blast writing that scene. Heehee, not a very pretty site. You have that right. And Kaiba as Joey's father? (laughs) It works, even though, in a sense, it's kinda keeping them in character. That's cause whenever I watch the movie I get the feeling that Austin doesn't like his father very much, and Joey doesn't like Kaiba very much either. (grins)_

_Next chapter will be longer (hopefully), and my other fics will also be updated. See you next chapter!_


	5. Meeting DuelistBoy

_Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry (continues repeating sorry over and over) (gets hit by reviewers) Xx _

This chapter was supposed to be up yesterday (Valentine's Day), but we were having black-outs, and plus, I had that stupid hypothesis versus theory essay for geography due. (grumbles) Stupid school. . .

_Anywho, I'm updating every fic this week! I know I promised this before, but this time, I'm being serious. Last time, things came up. This time, I shall post a new chapter! Or get killed by reviewers while trying! Yeah, I'm just a little out of it. . . (innocent smile)_

_**Our Sucky Little Keyboard That No One Cares About and Will Probably Never Look At (OSLKTNOCAWPNLA for short )  
**Is OSLKTNOCAWPNLA even a word? Hmm, somehow, I don't think so...but, I can make up words! So can you! Like Fudgeamania! (watches readers back away slowly) ...oops? _

Anything written in normal text (like this) is the actual story.  
_Anything written in italics (like this) is when flashbacks or dreams are occurring.  
**Anything written in bold (like this) is someone acting as a narrator-slash-voice over. **(You think I'm rich enough to hire two people?)  
**Anything written in bold italics (like this) are song lyrics.

* * *

**_

A bit later, while Yugi sat in the car, drumming his fingers against the steering wheel of his dad's Mercedes, Julia and Ishizu were in Ishizu's bedroom. 

Julia fingered a silver choker necklace, admiring the dragon charm.

"Ishizu," Julia commented. "You sure do have a knack for taking something simple and making it beautiful."

Ishizu came out of her walk-in closet, holding a large, white box. "Well, you ain't seen nothing yet."

She laid the box down on the bed. "I was saving this dress for my next attempt down the aisle."

As Julia opened her mouth to comment, Ishizu cut in. "Long story."

Reaching over, Ishizu removed the lid and Julia's eyes went wide. "Oh. . .it's beautiful. Ishizu, I can't wear that."

"Yes, you can, and you will." Ishizu replied with a smile. That dress has been in that box for so long, it deserves a night out."

Julia smiled. "Let's go."

* * *

Students dressed in various costumes entered the banquet hall where the school had decided to hold the Halloween dance. The DJ, who was none other than a kid named Mokuba, was 'getting the party started'. 

"Welcome North Valley High School seniors to the annual Halloween homecoming dance!" He cheered through the microphone while popping another CD into the player. "Tonight, our panel of teachers will use their eyes and their higher education training to choose our homecoming prince and princess. In true Japanese fashion, it's not about who you are, it's about what you wear."

His dark eyes sparkled. "Are you ready to crack it up?"

The students and he both cheered, "Yeah!"

* * *

Tea grumbled as she and Serenity both tried to walk. Their costume had been a conjoint cat. 

"I cannot believe I put you in charge of costumes. I told you Siamese cats, not Siamese twins!"

"Are we having a cat fight?" Serenity questioned, an innocent tone to her voice.

Tea rolled her eyes as she took a step forward. However, since Serenity hadn't moved either, Tea lost her balance and rolled down the stairs, dragging Serenity with her. Both girls screamed as they hit the bottom of the stairs.

* * *

"Hey guys." Joey greeted as he walked up to Tristan and Yami. 

Joey had been dressed up as a prince. He wore a long sleeved white blouse with a high collar that had a small, frill attached to it and a knee-length dark blue trench coat that had gold patterns outlining the collar of the jacket, and sleeves. The buttons of the trench coat were gold-coloured. He wore a pair of dark blue dress pants with a pair of black heelless shoes that were pulled up, and ended, just below the knee. His pants were tucked into the boots. All in all, he looked good.

"Sorry about your costume getting lost Joey." Tristan apologized.

"Good going." Joey replied, joking.

"No, it's not a good going." Yami whined lightly. "Now, we don't get to be the three musketeers. You get to be the Prince Charming. And we're the two whim and wits."

Tristan and Yami had both been dressed exactly the same as Joey, except their shirts were more frilly, and they had toy swords in toy sheaths that were strapped to their hips, and their main colour was black, not dark blue. They also wore black wide-brimmed hats with large white feathers coming out from the side.

Tristan switched his gaze from his two friends to the top of the stairs where Mai, Jamie-Ross, and Amara were. The three girls, all dressed up as angels, posed for a minute.

Mai, dressed in a strapless, low-cut dark violet dress and knee-high boots, with white wings strapped to her back, pulled out a mirror and studied her appearance. Her eye lids were covered in dark purple, sparkly, liquid eye shadow, and she wore pink lip gloss. Her blonde locks had been piled onto the top of her head.

Jamie-Ross, dressed in a sleeveless emerald green low-cut dress that ended at her knees with a slit going up to her mid-thigh in the side, posed as well, looking to the side. White angel wings were strapped to her back, just like Mai. Her emerald green coloured boots ended at her ankles. Her normally-curly brown hair had been straightened. She, herself, wore dark green eye shadow and pink lip-gloss.

While Mai looked into the mirror, Jamie-Ross examined her silver charm bracelet.

And finally, the third female, Amara was dressed in a fuchsia coloured three-quarter length dress that ended at her knees and had a slit going up on each side, like Jamie-Ross's. Her fuchsia coloured boots ended half-way below her knee. On her back, like the other two, were white angel wings. Covering her eyelids was dark pink liquid eye shadow, and on her lips, she wore dark pink lipstick. Her lilac coloured hair had been pulled up into its normal half-ponytail with two clumps of hair braided and slung over her shoulders. Instead of orange feathers, however, the feathers were fuchsia coloured, and her hair had been curled. Her bangs were still parted to the side, but they were also curled.

When the three girls had posed, Amara had pulled out her cell phone and studied that while Mai looked at her mirror and Jamie-Ross looked at her charm bracelet.

* * *

"Julia," Yugi complained, walking down the hall with his best friend. "If you don't give me back my cape, what am I going to wear?" 

Julia tossed a nervous look to Yugi, clutching his cape tighter around her body. "Sorry, I was freaking out!"

Yugi sighed. "Now, listen. It's going to be okay, alright?"

"Yugi, wait." Julia sighed. "Remember, I've got to be back at the diner by twelve, okay?"

Yugi blinked. "Uh, okay. Uh. . .give me your cell phone."

Julia nodded while Yugi continued, cheering like he was playing craps. "Come _on_ cell phone."

Julia bent down and lifted the layers of her skirt, and pulled her cell phone off her shoe, where she had clipped it to. She stood back up and handed it to Yugi, who began to fool around with it.

"Okay, um. . ." Yugi said, fooling around with the phone. "I'm going to set the alarm, a quarter to twelve, okay?"

Julia nodded. "Okay."

Yugi flipped the phone closed and handed it back to Julia. "Okay, there. Alright."

He turned to Julia and held out a hand. "Now give me the cape. Come on, it's time."

* * *

Down on the dance floor, Mai stopped talking to Amara and Jamie-Ross as something caught her attention. 

Tea and Serenity stopped fooling around with their costume and turned to the attention-catcher, as well as everyone else.

"Julia, what are they all staring at?" Yugi asked, turning to his friend, only to find her not behind him.

Yami, Tristan and Joey all stopped talking and their jaws dropped.

Julia was descending the stairs, wearing a strapless, white ballroom gown. The top of the dress was stretchy silk material that clung to her body while the skirt portion was consisted of layers of material. There were two layers of mesh upon a layer of silk. Covering half of her face was a white, lacy mask with two openings for eyes. Her dark brown hair had been curled and piled up on top of her head, two strands being curled and left hanging to frame her face.

Tristan and Yami wolf-whistled while Mai's face twisted in disgust.

"Love her dress." She commented. "Hate her."

Yugi took Julia's hand and led her to the middle of the dance floor, a smile on his face. He leant over and whispered in her ear, "Julia, don't worry, okay? Any guy will have to be completely insane not to like you. Hmm?"

Julia smiled slightly at Yugi, who smiled back. "Now, I'm going to be standing right over here, okay?"

Julia licked her lip-glossed lips and nods, smiling nervously. She watched Yugi walk off. A moment later, someone walked up right behind her.

"You know you're standing precisely in the middle of the dance floor?" the figure asked.

Julia turned around with a smile.

"Fate has brought us together right here at this anointed hour under the shimmering disco ball." Espa Roba smiled, as he took Julia's hand and lifted it up to his mouth, kissing it softly once.

Julia blinked. "Roba? Are you DuelistBoy?"

"DuelistBoy?" Espa Roba questioned, quirking a brow. "Indeed. I've traveled through time and space to find you. Now join me at the mating dance of Zion."

Espa Roba held out his hand before flapping the bat wings of his vampire costume with them, as he danced around Julia.

Julia watched, the strands of hair framing her face swaying from side to side lightly as the wind caused by Espa Roba hit her face.

"Uh, Roba," Julia said, smiling weakly. "That's nice."

Serenity, who was watching the scene with Tea, quirked a brow. "Hey, I know that girl from somewhere."

Espa Roba, who had stopped dancing, took Julia by her hands and dipped her in his arms, his teal coloured bangs falling into his grey eyes.

Julia sighed disappointedly. "Uh, I'm thirsty. I've got to get some –"

"Some light beacon for the fair lady?" Espa Roba questioned. "Your wish is my command."

He stabled Julia and bowed, kissing her hand once more before disappearing into the crowd. Julia sighed with a pout.

So much for DuelistBoy. . .

"I knew this was too good to be true." She muttered.

Joey walked up behind Julia and quirked a brow. "Princeton Girl?"

Julia turned and blinked a couple times in surprise. "Joseph Wheeler-Kaiba? You're DuelistBoy?"

Joey smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, um. . .I guess my costume didn't do a very good job, and I'm not who I am."

"I know. I know exactly who you are." Julia cut him off with a wave of her hand. "I'm sorry. This is a little bit of a mistake. I've got to go."

She turned to leave, but Joey grabbed her by the arm lightly and spun her back to face him.

"Wait, wait, wait. It's not a mistake." He countered.

"Don't you know who I am?"

"Of course I do. You're Princeton Girl, the girl I've been waiting to meet." Joey replied, a smile crossing his face. In a tone filled with confidence, he added, "I know exactly who you are. What's your name?"

Just then, Espa Roba walked up with two drinks. He glanced at Joey.

"You sweet liberations, my lady." Espa Roba said, nodding his head.

"Mr. Wheeler-Kaiba." Joey introduced himself, nodding in reply.

"Joseph Wheeler-Kaiba with the lady." Espa Roba closed his eyes for a brief moment, before opening them again. "A devastating blow, a worthy opponent."

Bowing, Espa Roba turned and left with a sigh.

Julia turned to Joey. "What about your girlfriend?"

"It's over." Joey answered, looking down and studying the shorter girl.

Overhearing what Joey said, Mai, who had been standing a few feet away, crossed her arms in anger.

Julia and Joey moved over towards a table where the punch was as well as desserts.

"I guess," Joey started. "You're expecting some guy who hangs out at Starbucks and writes poetry?"

"Something like that." Julia replied, in a disappointed tone.

"Come on. You're Joseph Wheeler-Kaiba." Julia said after a moment, ignoring the gaze Joey was sending her way. "You're football captain and Student Body President. And closet poet?"

She turned to face him fully, pointing a finger at him. "You can't be both guys."

"I'm not."

"Then who are you?"

"On September 7th, I wrote you, 'I live in a world where people pretend to be something they're not. But when I talk to you. . .'" he trailed off.

"'. . .I'm the guy I want to be.'" Julia finished off, more to herself than to Joey.

Joey watched her for a moment, his brown eyes locking with Julia's blue eyes. "Give me a chance to be that guy."

Julia sighed, and changed the topic. "If you wanna be voted homecoming prince, you better stand aside and away from me, you know."

Joey shrugged. "I don't care about being homecoming prince."

Yugi, who had been watching the scene from the second floor, smiled to himself, while Mrs. Wells, the school vice-principal, watched the scene as well, from another area of the banquet hall. She smiled and looked down at the clipboard in her arms, scribbling something down onto it.

* * *

_There's this chapter, and next chapter will include the romance! I can't wait! giggles I love romance! _

**Star-Blue-Angel: **Oh man, I know what you mean. I had a lot of school stuff too, like I already explained last chapter. Right now, the semester is pretty light, so we don't have a lot of stuff. I'm hoping to update the rest of my fics and finish this one off before I take yet another leave of absence. Yeah (grins) I can't wait till I get to the Kaiba and Joey scenes. It'll be priceless to read and write. And remember, next chapter, Mai and Yugi both get surprises. (grins evilly)

**chinkeepdaughter126: **Sorry you had to wait so long for this chapter. I'm not gonna bother explaining myself cause it's always the same excuse and I'm sure everyone is a little tired of hearing the same stuff over and over again, including me. Oh, make sure you update as well! I wanna read more of your fic too! It's not nice to torture reviewers. Unless of course, you like being tortured by evil cliffhangers?

**scarlettWALES: **I updated! Whoo-hoo! And you know what, I was watching Valon on TV and realized how I made him act here is nothing like how he acts in the show. He's very OOC here! LOL. Being OOC is great, if it helps out the plot line, but if it does gonna destroy the plot line or the character, it just sucks, doesn't it?

_There's chapter five! Be on the look out for the next chapter soon!_


	6. Late For Reality

_**Our Sucky Little Keyboard That No One Cares About and Will Probably Never Look At (OSLKTNOCAWPNLA for short)  
**Is OSLKTNOCAWPNLA even a word? Hmm, somehow, I don't think so...but, I can make up words! So can you! Like Fudgeamania! (watches readers back away slowly) ...oops? _

Anything written in normal text (like this) is the actual story.  
_Anything written in italics (like this) is when flashbacks or dreams are occurring.  
_**Anything written in bold (like this) is someone acting as a narrator-slash-voice over. **(You think I'm rich enough to hire two people?)  
**_Anything written in bold italics (like this) are song lyrics._

* * *

**

"So Princeton Girl," Joey asked later that night as he and Julia walked around the garden paths outside. "Would you tell me who you are if I guess right?" 

"Maybe." Julia answered, her hands clasped together against her chest as she walked beside the tall male. She watched the sky as she walked.

"Maybe." Joey copied Julia's answer, nodding. "How about. . .?"

He thought for a moment before smiling. "Twenty-five questions?"

"How about ten?" Julia asked in reply, raising an eyebrow.

"Well," he smiled. "It's as good as I can get."

He turned to Julia, and held out a hand to her. Julia smiled slightly but shook her head and continued walking. Joey withdrew his hand and hurried to catch up to her.

"Okay first question. You do actually go to North Valley High School right?"

"Of course." Julia answered, rolling her eyes.

Joey chuckled lightly. "Well, I'm just checking. I mean, you wouldn't really know until the end right?"

The two walked in silence for a moment before Joey asked another question. "Okay, next question. Were you disappointed when you found out I was DuelistBoy?"

He watched the female for a moment, and added, "Be honest."

Julia smiled, blinking slowly. "Surprisingly, no."

"Did you vote for me for Student Body President?"

"Surprisingly, yes."

"Really?" Joey answered, making it sound as more of a statement than a question. "Hmm. . .okay, I've got it!"

A teasing grin crossed his face as Julia smiled.

"Given a choice, would you rather have a rice cake or a Big Mac?"

Julia giggled. "A Big Mac."

Joey chuckled lightly as Julia asked, "What does that matter?"

"Well," Joey drawled, his grin still on his face. "I like a girl with a healthy appetite. And, besides,"

He pointed at her. "You just eliminated about fifty percent of the girls in the class."

Joey reached over and took Julia's hand, both teens stopping. He looked down at the shorter teenager, locking eyes with her.

He reached up and placed the palm of his hand on her left cheek. "I think I'll remember those eyes. So beautiful."

His tone had gone deeper, and came out very soft and romantic-sounding. A light blush crossed the female's face as she smiled.

"Um. . .next question." She half-whispered as she unwillingly pulled away from him and continuing to walk, the blush still evident on her face.

* * *

Inside, Tristan and Mai were upstairs on the second floor of the ballroom, talking.

"So, what's up girl?" Tristan asked, in a smooth player tone of voice as he leant against the balcony railing.

"Who are you supposed to be?" Mai asked, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

"The three musketeers," Tristan replied, smirking.

"You don't look like a candy bar."

"Well. Look, now that you and Joey are toast, okay," Tristan began, chuckling lightly. "Why don't we have our own little party?"

He moved closer to Mai, who moved backwards. "Ew! Back off Tristan!"

"Come on Mai," Tristan hushed, continuing to move closer to Mai. "I know you like me."

Mai held up a hand.

"No! Stop it! No!" she screeched.

Tristan grabbed Mai's wrist with a smirk. "Come on. . ."

Mai struggled to get away from Tristan. "No! Stop it!"

Wrenching her wrist away from Tristan, she shrieked, "Stop it!"

Yugi, who had been hearing Mai's cries, ran in front of the blonde female and unsheathed his plastic sword that had been strapped to his waist, pointing it at the male.

He pointed it at Tristan and glared slightly. "She said stop!"

Tristan frowned. "Oh yeah."

"Give me that." Tristan snapped as he ripped Yugi's sword away from him and broke it in half.

Yugi's eyes went wide and he shook lightly. "Oh God. . .oh. . ."

"I think you just saw your life flash before your eyes."

"Oh yeah?" Yugi whined in reply. "Did you see the part where I run away?"

Tristan frowned as Yugi jumped up onto the ledge of the balcony. Yugi touched his hat, a dramatic look on his face as he jumped off the balcony, landing on his feet. Two girls near by shrieked in surprise.

Yugi looked up at Tristan and Mai in surprise and grinned. "That was _awesome_!"

"Well, you're dead, hopper boy!" Tristan threatened as he copied Yugi's moves.

Yugi turned to the two females and nodded his head briefly. "Ladies."

With that said, Yugi ran over to the bar-counter and jumped up on top. Slipping, he spilt the drinks into the laps of the students sitting at the bar, while knocking the now-empty cups off the counter-top.

Tristan caught up and grabbed Yugi by the ankles, sending Yugi over the edge of the counter, knocking one of the bartenders into the shelves lining the wall. Yugi stood up a moment later, his cape tangled around him.

"It's over dude!" Tristan yelled, a confident tone to his voice.

"Oh yeah?" Yugi challenged.

"_Yeah!_"

"Well, I hate to tell you this _dude_," Yugi shot back, copying the way how Tristan said the word 'dude'. "But I stared in Pirates of Pan Zan for three summers in a row!"

"Oh yeah?" Tristan question, blinking in confusion.

Yugi smirked. "Say hello to act two, scene one!"

Without allowing Tristan to answer, Yugi grabbed the countertop and flipped it open. The countertop smacked Tristan in the face and sent him flying into a wall where shelves above Tristan's head held hollow pumpkins with the bottoms cut out.

As Tristan hit the wall, the force of Tristan hitting the wall shook the shelves and one of the pumpkins slid off the shelf and landed on Tristan's head.

Mai smiled happily and hurried down the stairs, running over to Yugi. She leant down to Yugi's ear and whispered something into it. Yugi's eyes went wide, a look of shock crossing his face, but he nodded enthusiastically. Mai flashed another smile as she stood back up.

* * *

Now having left the garden paths, Joey and Julia spotted a gazebo and walked towards it, hardly talking. In that same area, in front of the gazebo, chairs were lined up in rows. On the side, a few men and women were setting up music stands and more chairs, instruments sitting on the chairs.

"Wow. . ." Julia breathed, taking in the site of the gazebo. The gazebo had strands of lights outlining the shape of the gazebo, while strands of flowers wound themselves around the railing and posts. All in all, the gazebo was beautiful.

She walked up ahead slightly, smiling. Joey smiled slightly and followed her.

She stopped at the steps and Joey walked up behind her, closing the space between the two. In a low voice, he asked, "If I asked you to dance, would that count as another question?"

Julia turned around and blushed in response as she found their bodies only inches away from each other.

"There's no music." She whispered.

Joey led her into the gazebo. "So?"

Joey took Julia's hand and lifted it up, resting it on his shoulder. Julia smiled in reply. Joey smiled and then took Julia's right hand in his left, and the two started to sway.

Three musicians nearby who were getting ready for the concert, smiled and picked up their instruments. One of the violin players began to play and then, soon enough, the other two joined in.

The two teenagers continued to dance, their eyes locked, and happy smiles on their faces. Joey spun Julia twice before dipping her and slowly raising her back up.

He smiled as he let go of her and reached up, ready to pull away her mask. Julia's smile disappeared and she backed away, fingering the mask.

Joey raised his hands up in a form of defense, his palms facing Julia, an innocent smile on his face. Lowering his hands, he bowed and held a hand out to Julia. Julia smiled and slowly extended a hand, accepting his.

He pulled her close, closing the gap between their bodies as they continued to dance.

"I'll have a question." Julia invited.

Joey locked eyes with her. "Do you believe in love at first sight?"

She beamed, a blush crossing her face. "I'll let you know."

"I've seen you before." He asked, although he made it as more of a statement then a question.

Julia nodded, the loose strands of her hair swaying slightly. "Yes."

"Man," Joey whistled. "How could I've seen you before and not know who you are now?"

Julia hummed for a moment. "Maybe you were looking, but you weren't really seeing."

She smiled. "You've got one more question left."

Joey nodded and turned, plucking a rose from the strands of flowers circling the posts. He turned back to Julia, raising an eyebrow.

"Do you, Princeton Girl," he asked, holding out the rose. "feel like you've made the right choice meeting me here tonight?"

Julia, a smile still on her face, accepted the rose and sniffed it, closing her eyes. After a moment, she opened her eyes. Her eyes shimmered with happiness. "I do. And do you, Joseph Wheeler-Kaiba, even want to see me again after tonight?"

"I have to think about that." Joey replied, tilting his head to the side slightly. He sniffed lightly before smiling and replying in a husky whisper. "Absolutely."

He leaned down, licking his lips lightly and reached for Julia's mask. This time, Julia didn't stop him. He ran his fingers over the lace of the mask, preparing to pull it off. As his fingers reached the side of the mask, Julia's cell phone started to ring, signaling the alarm had gone off.

Julia pulled away.

"Not now." She whined lightly.

Joey blinked in confusion. "What?"

"I've got to go."

"You have a curfew or something?" Joey asked.

"Something like that." Julia clutched the stem of the rose in both hands. "I'm sorry, but thank you."

She smiled sadly at him. "This has been the most amazing night."

Julia, still clutching the rose, hitched up her skirt layers and hurried out of the balcony. Joey extended an arm out to her.

"Wait!" he called. "Where are you going?"

Julia turned, smiling sadly. "I'm late."

"For what?"

"Reality."

With that said, Julia hurried out of garden. Joey watched her leave and after a moment, he followed. He just found her and he wasn't going to lose her.

* * *

**Star-Blue-Angel: **_Oh man, you got that right! Joey and Kaiba scenes, I don't know if I'll be able to write those scenes without laughing. Awww, I'm glad you like Jamie-Ross's outfit. I just made it up off the top of my head. LOL. I think our little Joey is in love! (Starry eyes) Hehehe. Speaking of French, who cares? LOL. Maybe it's just me who thinks this, but who really needs French? _

**scarlettWALES: **_(covers ears) Don't tell me, don't tell me! (closes eyes) I haven't seen many of the new episodes yet. I'm up to the point where Yugi has already lost his soul and now Yami and Weevil are dueling as well as Rex and Joey, but I missed the episode with Mai, Valon, and Joey. My poor little Australian boy! Don't tell me anymore!_ _Hehe, see you next chapter!_


	7. Racing Against Time

I'm back with another chapter; this time, it's a long one! Yay for long chapters! Hehehe. . .

_**Our Sucky Little Keyboard That No One Cares About and Will Probably Never Look At (OSLKTNOCAWPNLA for short)  
**Is OSLKTNOCAWPNLA even a word? Hmm, somehow, I don't think so...but, I can make up words! So can you! Like Fudgeamania! (watches readers back away slowly) ...oops? _

Anything written in normal text (like this) is the actual story.  
_Anything written in italics (like this) is when flashbacks or dreams are occurring.  
_**Anything written in bold (like this) is someone acting as a narrator-slash-voice over. **(You think I'm rich enough to hire two people?)  
**_Anything written in bold italics (like this) are song lyrics._**

Please review!

* * *

Meanwhile, in the banquet hall, the principal, Mr. Pegasus, walked over to Mokuba and switched off the music. Mokuba, of course, whined in reply. 

"I was right in the middle of a power jam, Mr. Pegasus! You just totally harshed my mellow!"

"You'll get over it in a minute." He replied in a hushed whisper, before grabbing the microphone and grinned.

"Hello! Yoohoo!" he cried happily, his brown eyes sparkling. "It is almost midnight!"

The statement was followed by loud cheers from the students. From most students anyhow.

* * *

Julia had run in from the gardens and was now desperately searching for Yugi, who she found, was making out with Mai Valentine near the punch table. She blinked and walked over: the two were _really_ going at it. 

She shook her head, ignoring the scene before her and approached anyways.

_Meanwhile. . ._

Joey hurried inside the banquet hall as well, having lost sight of the mysterious women he had been with only moments before. Tristan spotted him, having removed the hollow pumpkin, and walked over to his friend.

"What's up dude?" Tristan greeted.

Joey ignored the greeting, but grabbed Tristan by the shoulders lightly and locked eyes with him. "Have you seen the girl I was with?"

"No, I haven't seen her." Tristan replied, shaking his head a little before grinning. "But you missed it dude! I just kicked some kid's butt. It's crazy."

_With Julia. . ._

Julia had now approached Yugi and, with Mai's back turned to her, she waved frantically.

Yugi opened his eyes, but still kept making out with Mai. It looked like he couldn't control his hands, seeing as how he kept running them up and down Mai's back and arms, and occasionally, wrapping his arms around her waist.

She continued to wave frantically, but Yugi made no motion other than to shoo her away.

"Yugi! Yugi!" She whispered to him in a choked, panicky voice.

Yugi forced himself to remove one hand from Mai's body and shooed his friend away again; he was really enjoying himself tonight.

Julia tapped her left wrist with her right index finger in a panic. "The time!"

She continued in a hushed, frantic whisper. "I'm gonna be late!"

_With everyone else. . ._

Mr. Pegasus had just finished looking at the ballot and smiled. He had just begun his announcement, but all Joey caught was "Prince Charming and Cinderella!"

Tristan clapped Joey on the back. "That's you bro! That's you!"

As people began shoving the blonde prince-wannabe towards the stage, Yugi pulled away from Mai, a happy smile on his face. He panted lightly.

"My dear, I've to bid you due." He took off his hat and bowed. "I'm sorry."

Mai blinked confusedly. "I've what?"

"I've got to go." Yugi translated, smiling happily. "I'm sorry."

Julia grabbed Yugi's arm and tried to drag him away, but not before he leant in and snuck another passionate kiss from Mai, hugging the woman close, both their bodies making contact.

Julia and Yugi both took off after that while Mr. Pegasus continued his speech.

"Bravo! Here he is!" Mr. Pegasus cheered as the crowd shoved Joey forwards. He spotted Julia racing up the steps of the banquet hall and cheered. "Ooh, Cinderella is playing hard to get!"

A spotlight fell on Yugi and Julia who were racing up the steps. Her cell phone, which had been clipped to her shoes, dropped, and not even noticing, Julia continued on her way.

Seeing them, Joey shoved his way through the crowd and followed. Reaching the top of the stairs, he spotted the cell phone and bent down, picking it up. He looked up, sighing at the two figures disappearing. He had lost her.

* * *

Meanwhile, Julia and Yugi hurried to Yugi's grandfather's Mercedes. 

"I may have kissed Joseph Wheeler-Kaiba tonight!" Julia cheered lightly, a happy tone to her voice, as she plopped herself down into the passenger seat of the convertible.

"Oh! I kissed Mai Valentine!" Yugi cheered loudly, pulling out the parking lot.

"What did he say when he found out that you were you?" Yugi asked, slowing down and stopping for a red light.

"He didn't say because he didn't find out." Julia replied, staring straight ahead.

Yugi couldn't believe his ears. "You didn't tell him!"

Julia shook her head in reply. Yugi stole a quick glance at his friend.

"Why not?"

Julia turned sideways in her seat, watching Yugi for a moment before closing her eyes. "Yugi, I live in an attic, okay? I drive a beat up old Mustang, and he's expecting. . .Malibu Barbie."

She opened her eyes with a sigh and sat straight in her seat. "I'll be doing him a favor if I just disappeared."

* * *

Meanwhile, Cecelia was outside of the banquet hall, waiting for Tea and Serenity to come out. As they did, she could hear them arguing. 

"Shotgun!" Serenity yelled.

"No! I'm shotgun!" Tea shot back.

"Just get in already!" Cecelia snapped. The two girls, not wanting to upset their mother, slipped into the car and buckled up. Cecelia turned to them and quirked a brow.

"Where are your crowns? Where are your prizes?" She pointed a finger at them. "Winners get prizes."

Tea sighed sadly. "We didn't win mom."

"Some girl stole it from us." Serenity added.

"I am very, very, very upset about this." Cecelia replied, her face blank. Tea and Serenity exchanged glances before turning back to their mother.

"You don't look upset." Tea pointed out.

"It's the botox." Cecelia explained. "I can't show emotion for another hour and a half."

* * *

"I told you she wanted me bad!" Yugi grinned, driving, while talking bout Mai Valentine. Julia, who had been looking out at the side, her arm resting on the door and her head resting on her arm, sighed. 

"Just drive."

Yugi pulled forwards slightly and so did the car Cecelia was driving. As a result, Yugi almost crashed into them. However, Cecelia didn't pay any attention. Serenity, who had been staring out of the window, caught sight of Julia and her eyes grew wide.

"Julia!"

Julia, who noticed Serenity watching her, gasped and ducked forwards in her seat, hoping not to be seen.

Serenity, however, turned to Cecelia. "Mom!"

She reached over and tapped her mother on the shoulder. "It's Julia! Over there!"

Cecelia sighed and looked to the Mercedes, but saw only Yugi. She quirked a brow. Yugi looked over and smiled nervously.

"Uh, hi! Mrs. Montgomery!"

Laughing nervously, he pulled forwards and took off as soon as the light hit green.

Serenity blinked. "Mom! She was there! She's in the car!"

"We saw her mom!" Tea debated.

Cecelia shook her head. "That's ridiculous. She's working tonight."

Looking up, and noticing the light was green, she started driving again. "She would never disobey me."

"She was there!" Tea complained.

"She was with that boy in the car!" Serenity whined.

"Shut your cat face!" Cecelia snapped, frustrated.

* * *

A bit further away, Yugi hung a left and Julia sat back up, gasping for breath lightly. 

"Did they see me?" she demanded, a panicky tone to her voice.

"No, I don't think so." Yugi started, concentrating on his driving. "But the wannabe Olsen twins might have."

Julia looked behind them as cars began speeding up and passing them. She turned to Yugi, a look of fear crossing her face. "Yugi, I know you wanna take care of this car, but please, can you step on it?"

"In case you haven't noticed," Yugi explained. "I'm already going 38 in a 35 mile zone, Julia. So can you just lay off please?"

Julia whined in reply.

* * *

Behind Yugi's Mercedes, Cecelia drove her car. 

"Mom! Catch up to them!" Tea demanded.

"Mother, would you speed up?" Serenity asked, a cold rushed tone to her voice. "We've got to meet Julia at the diner."

"Shut up girls." Cecelia snapped. "We'll be back at the diner soon enough."

"Soon enough isn't soon enough!" Tea screeched as she slammed her foot down on the gas pedal. As a result, the car sped up.

"Get your paw off the pedal!" Cecelia ordered Tea, but her next command was cut off as the car zig-zagged through the traffic, all three girls screaming in horror.

Cars in traffic stopped short, all honking their car horns.

* * *

Back with Yugi and Julia, the lights switched from green to yellow, and Yugi slowed down. 

"Go! Go!" Julia urged. "Yugi, you could've totally made that light!"

Yugi grinned a little at Julia, trying to lighten the mood. "Alright. FYI, Julia. Yellow means slow down, not speed up."

"I need Fast and Furious! Not Driving Miss Daisy!" Julia shot back in reply.

At that moment, Cecelia's car zipped past the Mercedes, the three females still screaming like banshees.

"Was that. . .?" Yugi began.

"Uh huh." Julia finished.

Cecelia's car continued to go crazy, zig-zagging through traffic.

"Mom! Stop!" Serenity screamed, but no matter what Cecelia did, the car was not able to stop. Surprisingly enough, the car, controlled by Cecelia, had pulled into the middle of the diner's parking lot, unscratched.

"Uh oh." Tea whined. "I think this kitty needs a litter box."

Cecelia reached up and held her face before screaming in horror. "Oh my god! My face is back!"

* * *

In the diner, Ishizu took a look at her watch. It was midnight. She tapped her fingernails against the counter, looking around nervously. Where was Julia? 

Slamming the door open, Cecelia burst in, followed by Tea and Serenity, who grinned proudly.

"Ha! Told you she wasn't here!" Serenity cried happily, posing with the peace sign.

Cecelia glared coldly at the Egyptian manager. "Where is Julia?"

Ishizu shrugged casually, reaching up and pulling her dark brown hair up into a ponytail, watching Cecelia with her dark eyes. "What do you mean where is Julia? Where do you think she is?"

"She better be here."

As Cecelia headed towards the back of the restaurant, Ishizu hurried ahead and stopped her.

"Uh Cecelia, I was going to talk to you about something that I. . ." Ishizu trailed off, trying to think. ". . .wait, wait!"

Ishizu held her hands out in defense. Needing an excuse to talk to Cecelia, she quickly scanned the room before shuddering. She was going to kick herself in the morning.

"Uh. . .I want to get my bust done!" Ishizu grinned slightly. "Where do you get those?"

"San Diego." Cecelia replied in a cold tone before adding, "Excuse me."

She shoved roughly past Ishizu, and stopped as Eleanor skated under the counter, smiling. Her curly brown hair bobbed slightly.

"Did you know how shiny the floor is after we switched to Mr. Clean?" Eleanor asked.

"What are you? Commercial?" Cecelia clucked her tongue in annoyance and walked forwards, waving her hand in the air. "Click."

She reached the counter top and screamed slightly, stepping away as Rishid popped up from behind the counter, holding fish in his arms.

"Oh Cecelia! I'm so glad you are here!" Rishid stammered before beginning to cry, fakely. "The fish! Nemo no more!"

He bawled loudly, hugging the fish tightly in his arms. "_Smell_!"

Eleanor pointed to the booths. "Did you know Cecelia, there's a tear in one of those. . ."

"Right!" Ishizu jumped slightly. "We were going to tell you!"

Rishid continued to cry loudly. "_What am I supposed to do with a dead fish!"_

"_Everyone! Shut up!"_ Cecelia screamed, silencing the diner. In a deadly soft tone, she added, "When I find her. . ."

Behind the counter, where Rishid made the food, Julia stood up, her hair pulled up into a messy ponytail and wearing the black shirt and pink apron she normally wore. She rang the bell that hung on the wall.

"Order's up!" She called.

Julia pushed a plate of pancakes out towards the group. Cecelia quirked a brow.

"Julia? What're you doing back there?"

Julia smiled innocently. "Working on my cooking skills."

"Yeah!" Rishid cheered. "I was teaching her to make pancakes with salmon!"

Julia turned to Tea and Serenity. "How was the dance girls?"

Cecelia frowned. "Something stinks around here. And it's not that fish."

She walked out from behind the counter and stopped in front of Ishizu. "You're gonna get it."

Cecelia turned to Tea and Serenity. "Come on girls."

Cecelia left the diner, followed by her two daughters. Ishizu and Eleanor turned to Julia and grinned. Julia smirked and looked down at the dress she still wore. Touching the skirt layers with one hand, she smiled happily. Tonight was definitely a night she would never forget.

**

* * *

**

**Ashleigh Kaiba: **I did update this fic! Go me! Whoo! How bout you update your fics soon? I wanna read more of The Mirror ;; I want my bishi! huggles Joey

**the peace pixie: **Yeah, poor Joey. Joey has lost his love! Oh no! But don't worry, Joey shall be happy again! YAY!

**Star-Blue-Angel: **I'm always right! cheers Nah, I'm kidding. Yeah, Yugi had his fun. You know, I think that in the show, there is something going on between Yugi and Mai, not just Joey and Mai. Grr, I hate that pairing! Mai and Joey! Grr, stupid pairing. Mai is, what, 20 something? And Joey's 15, (according to sites I've seen). Stupid pedophile…oh, and if you bash the cell phone, Joey and Julia won't get together later! (whines)


	8. The Search For Cinderella Begins

Back yet again! Sorry about the delay! I'm hoping to update a few fics today because there is no school for me. Yes, thank you Easter! Speaking of which, how did everyone's Easter go? You guys get lots of candy? I did, hehehe...

_**Our Sucky Little Keyboard That No One Cares About and Will Probably Never Look At (OSLKTNOCAWPNLA for short)  
**Is OSLKTNOCAWPNLA even a word? Hmm, somehow, I don't think so...but, I can make up words! So can you! Like Fudgeamania! (watches readers back away slowly) ...oops? _

Anything written in normal text (like this) is the actual story.  
_Anything written in italics (like this) is when flashbacks or dreams are occurring.  
_**Anything written in bold (like this) is someone acting as a narrator-slash-voice over. **(You think I'm rich enough to hire two people?)  
**_Anything written in bold italics (like this) are song lyrics._**

* * *

Outside of the diner, Yugi sighed happily, still sitting in the car. "Made it. Not a scratch!"

Raising his amethyst eyes to the diner, he watched as Cecelia and the twins were leaving, the twins arguing as usual. He snickered lightly to himself as he watched the three climb into Cecelia's car.

"Get in girls." Cecelia snapped. "You girls smell like rotten cheese."

Yugi started up the car and reversed the car as Tea snapped at Serenity.

"Don't get your dirty paws all over me!" Tea snapped at Serenity. Cecelia rolled her eyes and started up the car, pulling away and almost colliding with Yugi.

Yugi locked his jaw as he swerved to avoid Cecelia. As a result, he hit the sign pole in the diner. Shaking his head, he got out of the car and looked around the car to see if there was any damage.

When he got to the front of the car, his eyes went wide. The front bumper of the car had bent inwards, the pole resting snuggling into the bumper. On top of that, the collision with the pole had completely wrecked the front of the car.

In the car, Serenity looked to Tea. "What is he doing here?"

Yugi yelled out a few choice words, running one hand through his hair before taking a deep breath. "No…this must not be my lucky day…"

Cecelia and the twins climbed out of the car and watched the scene for a moment. A loud creak was heard and a moment later, Cecelia's Diner sign swayed for a second before falling backwards and breaking off, landing on Yugi's car in a flurry of sparks. Cecelia and the twins screamed loudly while Yugi jumped backwards to avoid the sparks. He looked at the flaming car, a look of horror crossing his face.

"Mrs. Montgomery, your signboard is on my car…" Yugi pointed weakly, feeling sick. Oh well...at least he could look forwards to a nice funeral, right?

* * *

The next day at North Valley High School, Mokuba the DJ could be heard over the school's P.A. system.

"Listen up. Here's your daily drought one-liners, question number two. Joseph Wheeler-Kaiba was crowned prince of the homecoming dance. Ooh, big shocker there. Didn't see that one coming." A hint of sarcasm could be heard in Mokuba's voice. "But the real mystery though is, who is this princess?"

As Yugi and Julia walked around the campus, talking and listening to Mokuba's announcements, Julia hugged her books tighter to her chest.

"So, how long are you grounded for?"

Yugi sighed and put a hand to his forehead. "Well, how long is forever?"

Julia tossed Yugi a slight smile and Yugi grinned back, before frowning. "You're not going to tell Joey."

"Come on Yugi. It's not like he's going to be pining for me. Trust me, he'll have forgotten all about Cinderella by now."

As the two entered the hallways, Julia gasped, her eyes going wide. Yellow, hot pink, green and every imaginable colour that caught your eye flyers were posted on the walls, every few feet. A dark outline of a female with a huge question mark in the center of the body and the writing, "HAVE YOU SEEN CINDERELLA? CONTACT JOSEPH WHEELER-KAIBA" decorated the flyers.

"Oh…" Julia trailed off. Yugi walked over to the wall and ripped off a flyer, walking back to Julia.

"Yeah, he's obviously forgotten all about you."

Speaking of Joseph Wheeler-Kaiba…

The said man was walking along with his friends, handing out the flyers and posting them along the walls.

"Dude," Yami asked, brushing a blonde bang out of his amethyst eyes. "Why are you going through all this trouble for one chick?"

"Look," Joey commented, taping a hot pink flyer to his locker. "She's not just some chick, all right? She was real."

"Real." Tristan nodded, rubbing his chin in thought. "Like she still has a –"

Joey cut his friend off with a shake of his head, his blonde bangs swaying. "No, real. You know, the kind of girl who cares more about her thoughts rather than what she wears, how much weight she wants to lose." Joey turned to his friends. "She listens to me."

Yami exchanged a grin with Tristan. "Ooh, listens to you."

Tristan reached over and smacked Joey on the back. "Hey, bro, I listen to you. Oh carefully you bet…"

He watched one of the school cheerleaders walk by and he grinned, wolf-whistling after the girl, wiggling his eyebrows up and down. By now, he had completely ignored Joey. Joey rolled his eyes and started walking with Yami.

"Yeah, you're a great listener!" Joey called back to Tristan, who seemed to snap out of it and ran to catch up with his friends.

"Look man. You've found her cell phone." Yami pointed out, shifting his backpack to his other shoulder. "You've gotta find her listing from there."

"Phone's locked. All I kept getting were these text messages like 'I need you' and 'Come see me'."

"Oh dude!" Yami and Tristan grinned, slapping Joey on the back. "That's _so_ hot."

Joey nodded. "That's what I thought until I got one that said 'Come fix fry'."

"Ooh dude!" Tristan grinned. "That's hot _and_ kinky!"

Yami nodded wisely as Tristan continued. "That's what I'm saying babe! Can I get one? Let me get a bell baby!"

* * *

"Julia! He's looking for you everywhere. You gotta tell him it was you." Yugi pointed out during second period that day.

Julia slid down into her seat, thanking some higher power that it was study hall. That way, they could talk. "Isn't it better to just cling to the truth of what might have been instead of putting everything with reality?"

Yugi rolled his eyes and poked Julia in the arm. "You can't hide from him forever."

She shook her head, pulling her brown hair up into a ponytail. "Not forever."

Yugi smiled, happy that he had gotten an agreement out of his best friend. But Julia wasn't done. She continued what she had been saying. "Just until graduation when I leave this place and never see him again."

Yugi sighed dramatically, smacking himself in the forehead with his hand. Julia smiled.

"What about you Zorro? When are you gonna tell Mai?"

"Well…uh…" Yugi trailed off before suddenly shouting, "I've been thinking of doing just that!"

Julia tossed Yugi a disbelieving look, holding her ears. She watched him for a moment, wincing from Yugi's yell. "Right. Okay, so the day you tell Mai it was you, I'll tell Joey it was me."

Yugi held out his hand, a confident smirk crossing his face. "Deal."

Julia returned the smirk and shook his hand. "Deal."

* * *

While walking to period 3, Joey, Tristan and Yami were talking.

"Well, look in the yearbook again, bro." Yami suggested, flipping through a textbook of his. "Maybe you missed her."

"Maybe she's foreign exchange." Tristan chuckled. "That's hot."

Yami snickered. "Totally! That's like, love hot!"

Joey smacked himself in the head once, muttering something about being surrounded by morons. Shaking his head, he replied. "There's no way you'll understand. I mean, we have a connection."

Julia, who was walking by quickly in a rush to get to class, accidentally bumped into Joey, falling against him. She looked up at him, and their eyes locked. Blushing lightly, Julia stood up and continued on her way.

Looking back over her shoulder, and not where she was going, she ran into the door of a locker, shutting the locker door. Rex Raptor, who had his arms full of books, grinned at Julia.

"Thanks!"

* * *

At the school swimming pool after school that day, Tea and Serenity were practicing their routine.

"Keep your legs straight! … Straighter! … Straighter!" Tea snapped at the practicing Serenity. "Ooh, what are you doing! Serenity! After the flip, it's the Butterfly Roller Bar."

"No it's not! It's the Strawberry Fludge!" Serenity yelled back at her sister.

"Oh my god! I cannot wait for my solo career!" Tea screamed in agitation, balling her hands into fists.

Serenity blinked, not getting what her sister meant. "Why are we going solo?"

Over with Mai, Amara and Jamie-Ross, who were all lounging by the pool and working on their tans, Mai was talking.

"He was so mysterious. But really obvious at the same time." Mai commented, retying the string on her purple and white halter-top styled bikini top. "Like, kind of dangerous, but very safe and wild, but…but tame."

Nearby, Yugi stood with Julia, Yugi dressed in black swim trunks.

Julia turned to Yugi. "I cannot believe you're gonna tell Mai it was you."

"Julia," Yugi grinned, patting Julia on the arm. "When she realizes that she has found her Zorro, okay, she'll be thrilled!"

He smirked at Julia, his amethyst eyes gleaming. "Now, watch and learn."

"Good luck."

Yugi left his best friend and walked over to the three girls. Mai was still chatting happily about her 'mystery man', while Amara and Jamie-Ross looked bored.

Amara reached over onto the small table separating her chair from Jamie-Ross's and picked up her black sunglasses, sliding them on.

"And, oh my god! When I kissed him –" Mai started, before Amara growled and cut her friend off.

"Enough already!"

"Ah, Amara. I think somebody's got a green mask of jealousy on her back." Mai started before turning to Yugi, who had just reached the girls.

"Mai, baby. What's up?" Yugi greeted with a smile.

"And you are?" Mai asked, quirking a brow.

Yugi chuckled. "Yeah. Allow me to refresh your memory."

He reached over and took one of Mai's hands and raised it to his mouth, gently kissing it. Mai threw Yugi a look of disgust.

Yugi looked up a moment later. "Zorro."

Mai, disgusted, ripped her hand away. "You mean Zero."

Turning to her friends, in a panicky voice, she asked, "Who is he?"

Jamie-Ross sat up, and slid down her sunglasses, taking a look at Yugi before replying. "That's Yugi Motou. He's the guy you cheat off of in Algebra 2."

"The freak who hums show tunes?" Mai asked as Jamie-Ross lay back down. Amara nodded for Jamie-Ross, and Mai turned back to Yugi, looking highly disgusted.

She pulled Yugi away, to the side of the pool and then let go of him. She smiled weakly at Yugi. "Listen, last night I had a very bad cold. And I drank a whole bottle of Nyquil. I wasn't myself."

Yugi frowned. "But I thought we have like…a connection."

Mai shook her head. "We don't have anything. We are from completely different classes of human. Now, let's just go back to our usual lives where I copy off you in Algebra 2, okay?"

Mai walked off and Yugi frowned, looking disappointed. Turning he walked over to Julia, who was looking sorry for him. But he knew her better than that to know that the look she was giving him was the old 'If-that's-what-you-get-I'm-not-telling-Joey' look.

"Are you alright?" Julia asked a moment later.

Yugi nodded. "Does she still think she's cheating off me? She's crazy!"

Julia giggled lightly before the two left the swimming pool.

* * *

The next day, during lunch, Tristan and Yami were dragging Joey out to the school grounds. A line of girls were waiting for the three boys.

"Guys, I don't know about this."

"Come _on_!" Yami urged.

"Just trust us!" Tristan agreed. "Look, we've asked every girl we could find. Were they with you at the dance?"

He pointed to the line of girls. "These were the ones that said yes."

"Joey, it was me!" one girl screamed out while another yelled out, "Cell phone!"

Joey looked at the line of girls screaming his name and backed up before turning and trying to make a break for it. Yami grabbed Joey and wrestled him down onto the circular stone bench.

"Sit." Yami ordered while Tristan flipped on the stereo he had brought with him. Circus-like music began to play. Grinning, Tristan pulled out a portable microphone and flicked it on. Joey sighed, covering his face with his hands as Yami sat down beside him.

"Okay!" Tristan greeted into the microphone, winking and waving at the ladies. "Let's bring out bachelor number one!"

A pretty brown-haired blue eyed girl walked forwards and curtsied in front of Joey. Tristan grinned.

"She's a treasurer from Walton Hills, enjoys magic tricks, long walks on the beach, and getting to-"

Yami stood up and cut Tristan off with a smack across the back of the head. Tristan glared at Yami, but continued. "Pleased to meet you Manna." (1)

"Egypt." Manna corrected Tristan.

Manna, then, smiled and winked at Joey, flashing him the peace sign. Joey smiled slightly. "Thanks for coming. Manna."

"See you." Manna smiled, waving before walking off.

Joey turned to Yami and smirked. "You're dead."

"Okay, okay! Let's bring out Bachelor Number Two!" Tristan cheered into the microphone.

A short blonde female with her hair pulled up into pigtails with her green eyes hiding behind a pair of glasses stepped forwards, smoothing out her denim skirt. Joey stifled a laugh at the girl.

"Okay, this American's into dueling, stuffed animals and being full of herself. Here's Rebecca!"

Joey smiled weakly and nodded at Rebecca. "Thank you."

Turning to face Yami, Joey chuckled and punched Yami in the arm hard. "You are _so _dead!"

Yami frowned, and rubbed his arm while the third girl stepped out excitedly.

"Okay, okay. Next bachelor is a –"

Tristan was cut off by Joey who called out, "Enough, enough."

He stood up and flicked the stereo off, turning to face Tristan and Yami. "Guys, come on."

Turning back to the girl, he shook his head. "Look, you're beautiful, okay? But I'm not your prince. You'll meet him someday but it's not me."

The girl nodded, her smile flickering slightly. "Thanks Joey."

Without another word, she walked off. A moment later, Mrs. Wells, the school vice-principal, an elderly woman in her sixties, walked up.

"Uh oh." Tristan and Yami whined. "A late entry."

"You stop it right now!" Mrs. Wells ordered, her graying hair swaying slightly from the wind. Her green eyes seemed to be full of disappointment. "You are a bad boy."

She turned to Tristan, who had been wearing a green plaid shirt. "And that is a horrible shirt."

Tristan looked down at his shirt and tugged at it slightly. Mrs. Wells turned to the line of girls. "Everyone, back to your classes."

Turning once more to Yami, she smiled and twirled a strand of hair around her finger. "Hi Yami." She smiled and greeted him like a shy teenager.

Yami smiled weakly and lifted up a hand and waved. Mrs. Wells smiled once more before turning and leaving. Tristan and Joey looked to Yami, creeped out.

* * *

**There's chapter 8! Whoo! Hehe, is something going on between Yami and the 60 year old plus vice-principal. When I watched the movie, I thought so. Hehehe.**

**Ashleigh-Kaiba: **Aww, you took all your fics down. But I totally understand why. Stupid flamers. Make them burn! (screams and lights a torch)

**Xx sTaR-bLuE-AnGeL xX**That's a long penname. Hehehe. (smiles) Thanks for the cell phone replacement. Too cheap to buy one for myself. XD Lol, you're just like me. Whenever someone used a long useless word like OSLKTNOCAWPNLA, it always takes me forever to figure it out. Hehe, that's why I love Joey. Cause we're both alike. XD Yeah, poor Jules…er, me! Hehehe.

**chinkeepdaughter126: **Lol, yeah. Yugi totals all the cars. Hehe, I love that part of the movie. I did update. Just not soon. XD What about you? You made my fic sound interesting. Oh my god…I love you for that. As a friend. Yeah, hehe.

**the peace pixie: **Hun, any pairing that does not involve Joey and Mai together is a great pairing. Grr, I hate her and I hate Serenity. Why can't they both just die? Or something. Hehe, I love the show now more than ever now that Serenity is gone. Too bad Mai just doesn't leave for good. I don't know, but both females are annoying. I just find them worse than Tea, and that's saying something.

(1) Manna: apparently, that was the Dark Magician Girl's name back in Ancient Egypt.


	9. The Truth Comes Out

Grr, sorry about the delay. I was kicked off from uploading for a while. admins. took down a fic of mine, and kicked me off from updating. Grr, well, anyways, here is an extra long chapter for you! Yay! Here you go!

_**Our Sucky Little Keyboard That No One Cares About and Will Probably Never Look At (OSLKTNOCAWPNLA for short)  
**Is OSLKTNOCAWPNLA even a word? Hmm, somehow, I don't think so...but, I can make up words! So can you! Like Fudgeamania! (watches readers back away slowly) ...oops? _

Anything written in normal text (like this) is the actual story.  
_Anything written in italics (like this) is when flashbacks or dreams are occurring.  
_**Anything written in bold (like this) is someone acting as a narrator-slash-voice over. **(You think I'm rich enough to hire two people?)  
**_Anything written in bold italics (like this) are song lyrics._**

* * *

Later that afternoon, as Cecelia was flipping through the mail, she stopped at a letter addressed to her step-daughter. Dropping the rest of the mail onto the couch, Cecelia brushed her blonde bangs out of her eyes and eagerly tore open the letter, which was adorned with a Princeton University letterhead.

"Oh ho…" Cecelia drawled before unfolding the letter. "Oh, accepted?"

She quickly read it aloud, but to herself. "Congratulations! It is indeed a pleasure to inform you that you've been…"

Shaking her head, Cecelia muttered, "Oh, this won't do."

At that moment, Julia entered the house, sliding her black messenger bag off her shoulder.

"Hey," she greeted. "Anything for me?"

Cecelia turned to her step-daughter and grinned. "Oh, actually, there is a personalized letter from Ed Midman saying you won a million dollars."

Julia rolled her eyes with a disgusted sigh as Cecelia chuckled to herself. Shouldering her bag, Julia turned and left the living room, climbing up the stairs to her bedroom.

"Don't spend it all in one place!" Cecelia called after Julia, chuckling once more before turning back to the letter.

* * *

Minutes later, Julia was curled up into her favourite computer chair, talking with DuelistBoy.

"I need to know who you are. I can't take my mind off you." DuelistBoy instant-messaged her. "Please tell me who you are."

Julia sighed, reading Joey's message. Closing her eyes, she secretly debated what to say before moving her hands to the keyboard.

"Okay, my name is…" Julia started to type.

However, at that moment, Serenity barged into her room, causing Julia to jump slightly. Turning to face Serenity, Julia quirked a brow, wondering what her step-sister wanted.

"Julia!" Serenity shrieked.

"I guess you missed the 'Do Not Disturb' sign?"

"No, I saw it." Serenity cheered before waving her own comment away. "So, you almost done with my report? It's due Friday."

Julia turned back to the computer. "I'm working on it."

"Well, hurry up." Serenity whined. "It makes me nervous to have to wait for it."

Julia rolled her eyes. "Imagine how nervous you would be if you actually had to write it."

"My god, you're right!" Serenity gasped, standing and pacing around Julia's room. "So this time, could you try to make it sound more like me? I mean, I'm so sick of having to explain why I sound so smart on paper and so not smart…"

Serenity paused for a moment, trying to think of how to finish off her sentence. Nodding, she finished her sentence. "…not on paper."

"Julia, can you come downstairs?" Cecelia called through the intercom that was wired into Julia's room.

"I'll be right there."

"Now!"

Julia rolled her eyes and closed her chat window, standing up. "I'll be right back."

"Hurry up!" Serenity called after the brunette. Looking up from her nails, Serenity spotted the computer and grinned. "Ah ha."

Standing up, she walked over to the computer and plopped down in the chair. "Who the heck is DuelistBoy?"

Tea, who had been going to look for Serenity, stopped at the door. She grinned as she listened to her sister talk to herself.

Serenity, not noticing Tea, continued to mutter to herself, loud enough for Tea to hear. "Cinderella, are you not talking to me because you freaked when you found out I'm…"

Serenity gasped, her eyes widening. "Joseph Wheeler-Kaiba? Julia is Cinderella?"

Tea smirked. Her eyes gleamed. She wanted to have some fun, and she knew the perfect way of having it.

* * *

Elsewhere, Joey sat in his father's office, in front of the computer. In his hand, he held his Princeton acceptance letter.

Blinking, he sighed. "Wow…I got in."

"Joseph!" Seto opened the door, entering the office. Joey looked up at his father and quickly stuffed the letter away. If Seto saw the letter, he would blow his top.

"What?"

"What's going on?" Seto asked, raising an eyebrow.

Joey shook his head, his eyes scanning the room. "Nothing."

Seto shook his head and leant against the wall, watching his son. He knew Joey was hiding something, and he was going to find out.

"Let me guess. You're worried about your college choice?"

Joey shrugged. "Oh yeah. I've been thinking about it a lot."

Seto smiled slightly at his son. "Don't worry. You're making the right choice, alright?"

* * *

A couple of hours later, Tea drove up Kaiba Corp.'s car wash in her pink car. She giggled. "Okay."

Taking a deep breath, she smiled as she practiced what she was going to say. "It's me, Joey. Cinderella. From the dance. You found me."

Turning to her backpack, which sat on the seat beside her, Tea reached in and dug out a notebook. Flipping to the back page, she read, to herself, "You see, Joey, I live in this world full of people…"

Serenity drove up her purple car and parked it beside Tea, seeming to talk to herself as well. "Pretending to be something I'm not."

"I miss you. I don't want…" Tea started, before looking out of her window and trailing off at the sight of Serenity.

Joey walked up a moment later, a clipboard and pen in hand. Tea climbed out of her car and smiled sweetly at Joey.

"Heya." Joey greeted.

"Hi." Tea giggled.

"Bringing to wash?" Joey asked.

"No, more like the real treatment. I mean, that's what Cinderella would want." Tea smiled, clasping her hands against her chest and looking up at Joey.

Joey blinked, confused. "What did you say?"

Tea giggled. "I'm her, Joey. Cinderella. Your dream girl."

She smiled at Joey, who quirked an eyebrow. "You see, I live in this world full of people –"

"You!" Serenity yelled, cutting Tea off as she climbed out of her own car. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I'm Cinderella." Tea smiled. "Coming to meet my prince."

Joey crossed his arms over his chest, a smirk crossing his face. He was getting interested.

"That's a little hard considering I'm Cinderella." She tossed Tea a skeptical look. "I mean, I'm the most Cinderelliest Cinderella there ever was."

Tea frowned, and Joey thought it was best to intervene. "Ladies, ladies."

The two feuding sisters stopped arguing and looked at Joey, who continued. "I can settle this, alright?"

Tea and Serenity both nodded in reply.

"The girl I met at the dance dropped something on her way out. What was it?"

"Oh, that's easy." Tea replied, pointing a finger up at the sky, her other hand on her waist. "A wallet."

Joey shook his head, his blonde bangs swaying lightly. "No."

"I mean, a wallet…purse."

"No." Joey answered once again before looking at Serenity, inviting her to reply.

"A fish." Serenity giggled.

"A fish?" Tea rolled her eyes, looking at her sister.

Serenity turned to Tea. "It was the first thing that popped into my head. And you said wallet purse."

She crossed both arms over her chest. "What is that?"

Joey snickered lightly before turning and walking off.

"Joey!" Tea called after him, but got no response.

"Look what you did!" Tea screeched at Serenity. "You always ruin everything! I was supposed to be Cinderella! I'm the oldest!"

"By a minute and twenty-six seconds, and you never let me forget it!" Serenity screamed back, shoving Tea backwards. Tea hit the side of her car with a growl.

"Well," Tea growled, reaching over to a bucket of squeegees nearby and grabbing one. "Maybe this will help you remember."

"No!" Serenity screamed, turning and running off. Tea smirked and chased after Serenity.

"Come here!" Tea screeched, chasing Serenity into the car washing machine (A/N: whatever you wanna call it). "I'm gonna kill you!"

As Tea pushed aside a curtain, she was suddenly blanketed in soap. Obviously a car was beginning to be washed.

"Ren?" Tea called, using Serenity's nickname, looking around. Serenity jumped out from behind another machine and tackled Tea.

"I'm going to kill you!" Tea threatened. "Get off!"

Tea kicked Serenity off and onto the car that was being washed. "Stealing my deal!"

The two girls began to wrestle with each other, a little girl watching them through the glass.

Turning, she reached up and tugged on her father's shirt. "Hey, dad, isn't that our car?"

The girl's father looked up from a magazine and his eyes went wide as he watched the twins fight.

Tea and Serenity looked up as two bells rang. The "Clear Coat Paint Protector" and "Sealer Wax" machines were starting ring.

The twins grabbed each other in a hug.

"Oh no!" Serenity cried.

"Mother!" Tea screamed in panic.

In unison, both girls called out, "Hot wax!"

* * *

Joey looked up from the computer as he heard two screams, sounding quite feminine. Shrugging it off, he turned back to the computer, figuring it was nothing.

* * *

Moments later, the car pulled out of the washing machine, Tea and Serenity laying on the top of the car. Their hair was sticky and pointing up in all directions, and they had a frightened look on their faces. Their clothes clung to their body. Expressionless, they sat up.

* * *

Julia looked up from the counter she was cleaning as she heard the bell above the door ring. Taking a quick look outside, she noticed the sky was growing stormy-looking. Perfect for her mood.

Joey walked into the diner and sat down a few seats away from Julia, who turned to Ishizu and looked pleadingly at her. Ishizu shook her head and shooed Julia away from her. Rishid grinned and threw his spatula at Julia, just missing her.

Julia rolled her eyes and grabbed her notepad and pencil, shyly walking over to Joey, who was fingering a menu, looking deep in thought.

She smiled slightly. "Hey, can I get you something?"

"You know what bugs me?" Joey snapped, looking up. His eyes were narrowed slightly.

Julia looked to both sides awkwardly before answering him nervously. "People taking your order?"

"No." Joey pointed at her. "Taking people's orders."

Julia quirked a brow, confused. "Why would you do that?"

Joey sighed, depressed. "Heh. You don't know my dad."

Looking over the menu, Joey blinked. "Uh…sushi and doughnuts? Who does that?"

Julia giggled slightly, waiting for Joey to make up his mind. Joey shook his head.

"I'll take a coffee." Julia nodded, jotting down his order. He looked up. "Thanks."

"Uh, excuse me ma'am." Another customer called out to Ishizu, who held up her hand, silencing the customer, and asking him to wait. She wanted to watch Julia and Joey for a bit longer.

Julia turned and grabbed a plate and a cup before taking the coffee pot and filling the cup expertly with it. Joey watched Julia, studying her.

"Do you ever feel like you aren't somebody you really are? You want someone to accept you?"

Julia nodded, turning and replacing the coffee pot. She turned back to Joey. "Yeah, I do. Like being yourself isn't good enough."

Joey blinked. "What?"

"Like you're wearing a mask." Julia half-whispered.

"That's exactly how I feel." Joey sighed again, dumping some sugar into his coffee. Julia handed him a spoon, and Joey used it to stir around the sugar. Lifting a hand, he rubbed his eyes tiredly with it.

"You just want to be honest with this person and then tell him it's me." Julia sighed and bit her lip. "I'm the one you've been looking for."

"Yeah…" Joey trailed off, sipping up his coffee, locking eyes with Julia.

"Joey…" Julia sighed. "I'm…"

"Julia!" Cecelia snapped from the doorway. Julia, startled, looked up. Cecelia beckoned Julia with a finger.

"One second."

"No, now!" Cecelia snapped again, her temper rising.

"I gotta go." Joey replied, standing up and leaving some money. Julia sighed, disappointed and frustrated. Joey turned and took a couple steps before turning around with a smile.

"Oh, thanks for the mush time."

Julia smiled. "You're welcome."

* * *

A couple days later, during lunch, Tea and Serenity sat across from Jamie-Ross, Amara and Mai at one of the picnic tables on the school lawn.

"And then she told us she was going to steal Joey away from you if it was the last thing she did." Serenity explained to Mai, who was frowning.

"I understand she's always been jealous of you." Tea added, her eyes filling up with fake tears.

Mai looked disgusted as Tea blew her nose for added effect. "Go on."

"Well," Tea continued. "That's when she invented this whole Cinderella plot. She got Joey's email address and that's when she started the whole affair."

"We really wanted to tell you sooner, but she threatened to kill us!" Serenity cried out, a look of panic crossing her face. "She's a monster!"

Mai turned and exchanged looks with Amara and Jamie-Ross, who both nodded. They weren't buying into Tea and Serenity's story.

"Look, if you don't believe me, look at the emails." Serenity suggested, pulling out a thin wad of stapled papers and tossing them in front of Mai. Mai, interested, picked up the emails and glanced over them.

"She goes by the name Princeton Girl, but her real name is Julia Montgomery." Tea added.

"And we are Tea and Serenity."

Mai frowned. "So that little boyfriend stealer thinks she can pull a fast one on me?"

As if in reply, Jamie-Ross and Amara nodded wisely. Mai smirked, her violet eyes lighting up.

"Well, we'll just see about that."

* * *

At the end of school that day, Tea knocked on the glass window of Mokuba's radio station. Mokuba looked up from his announcements he was supposed to read and leaned over, opening up the window.

"Joey didn't have a chance to give you this. He asked you to read this announcement."

Mokuba blinked, shaking his dark bangs out of his eyes as he accepted the announcement. The "On The Air" light lit up. Mokuba cleared his throat and read it.

"Uh, Cinderella, if you are listening, your prince wants to round date you after the pep rally."

Julia smiled, hugging her books close as she walked down the hall. As the bell rang, students began pouring out of classrooms. Julia stopped by room 210 and waited for Yugi to walk out, which he did, carrying two extra textbooks.

"Yugi!" Julia shrieked, scaring Yugi who jumped and dropped all his books. Rolling his eyes, he bent down and began to pick them up. Julia giggled and helped him.

"I talked to him! And not as Cinderella. I talked to him as me, Julia. And he didn't hit me."

Yugi grinned and accepted the books from Julia. "So you told him everything?"

"No, not everything. Not the part of me being Cinderella." Julia shook her head. Yugi groaned and banged his head against a locker door. Julia smiled, giggling slightly. "But, I'm going to tell him right after the pep rally."

She smiled at Yugi's cowboy hat he was wearing. "You coming cowboy?"

"So you think I look like a real cowboy?"

Julia nodded and grabbed his hand. "Now, let's run!"

* * *

On the back field of the school, the school bands were playing music as the school cheerleaders (sadly enough, they had Mai, Amara and Jamie-Ross on the team) performed on the stage. The football team members sat in the front row. Joey sat with his arms crossed over his chest, Yami and Tristan sitting on either side of him.

Feeling a hand clasp his shoulder, Joey jumped and turned around slightly to see Seto there, his cold blue eyes watching the stage. There was a hint of a smile on his face, but with his father, it was hard to tell. Ever since his wife had died a few years back, Seto Kaiba hardly ever smiled to anyone.

Julia pulled Yugi up and squeezed themselves in front of some people who were standing around. She watched the coach of the team, a man who went by the nickname of Dartz, climbed up on the stage after the cheerleaders were finished performing.

Clearing his throat, Dartz scanned the crowd with his bi-coloured eyes (one gold and the other a teal colour) as the gentle wind ruffled his long teal coloured hair that was tied into a ponytail. He smirked and cheered into the microphone.

"Who are we going to beat?"

The cheerleaders cheered back in response. "South High School!"

"And when are we going to beat them?"

The crowd screamed in reply. "Friday!"

Seto leant forwards and, in a low mutter, said to Joey, "Good news buddy. I just got off the phone with Raphael. We play on Friday and your future is set in football."

Joey rolled his eyes. "That's great dad."

"And who's going to lead us to victory?" Dartz cheered.

"Joey!" came everyone's cheer.

"Can't hear you!"

Julia looked to Yugi as he laughed and said, "He's the laser."

Julia smiled slightly and turned her attention back to the stage.

"Whoo! Uh, the cheerleaders have put together a humor sketch, so let's hear it."

The crowd cheered as Dartz climbed off the stage and Mai stepped up to the microphone, a cheeky grin on her face. She was dressed in the school's cheerleading outfit: a blue and white skirt, white running shoes and socks and the sleeveless blue and white tank top that showed a bit of her stomach and had a 'V' shaped collar. The school's embalm was on the front of the shirt.

"Thank you!" Mai cheered before the crowd went silent. "Once upon a time there was a big, strong, jumping frog."

Tea hopped out from behind a curtain, dressed in all green. Smiling, she jumped up onto the back of two cheerleaders. The crowd snickered.

"He had a beautiful girlfriend. And his dad owned the biggest pond in all the land. But, he still wasn't happy."

On the far side of the stage, Amara and Jamie-Ross held up a huge cardboard sign with "Awww" written on it. The crowed "awed" obediently.

"If only he could find the princess," Mai continued. "then she could kiss him, turn him into a prince and then run away together."

The curtain opened slightly and out came two cheerleaders, carrying Serenity, who was decked out in a wedding dress and all the condiments, like the flowers. The crowd laughed uncontrollably.

Joey frowned and looked away. They were doing this to him. But, somehow, he knew he wasn't going to be the only one hurt today. They were going after Cinderella, and however she really was. He was sure of it.

"One night, after the slimy frog ditches his super hot, senior, foremost popular girlfriend, he meets his princess." Mai smirked, locking eyes with Joey. She was hell-bent on revenge, and she would be damned if she didn't get it.

Tea bent down onto one knee, still wearing all green. She extended a hand to Serenity. "Your highness."

Serenity, grinning, bent in respect while pulling up the back of her skirt to flash her behind. The guys in the crowd cheered and whistled.

"Alas, it turned out that the crowned model had a secret identity, but also had a secret email relationship with a pen pal named Princeton Girl."

Julia's eyes went wide and her mouth dropped open. Yugi frowned, his eyes narrowing.

"This isn't good." He muttered.

"Dear Princeton Girl!" Tea bellowed out, still on one knee. Her hand was stilled extended to Serenity, the other placed against her chest. "I can't wait till we finally get to meet. You are the only one who understands the real me! I don't want to play football. I want to be at Princeton!"

Seto frowned, and leant forwards slightly. "What are they talking about?"

"Nothing," was Joey's quick response.

Up on the stage, Serenity pretended to giggle and jump around in a circle happily. "Dear DuelistBoy,"

She jumped around for another moment or so, the crowd cheering and laughing. Serenity stuck a pose with her feet apart, one hand thrown up into the air while the other was clasped against her chest. "I want you to know who I am but I'm scared! I'm scared if you would reject me and I never had a real kiss before!"

Jamie-Ross and Amara both held up the "Aww" sign again, and the crowed "Awed" again as Serenity pretended to cry.

Julia shook, and looking as if she was about to cry.

She turned to Yugi and whimpered. "I can't believe they're reading my emails."

Yugi turned to her and rested a hand on her shoulder. "Julia, let's go."

Mai smirked, catching a glimpse at Julia. "But the princess had a secret too. She wasn't royalty at all. She was a geek…a loser…a server girl."

The crowd went silent, wanting the performance to go on. Joey growled, his hands curled into fists. Yami and Tristan both turned to him and quirked brows at the angry blonde.

Up on the stage, two cheerleaders held out a large plate of dough and flower as Tea came clumsily skating out, dressed in a pair of grey plaid pants, a black t-shirt and a light pink apron. Her hair had been pulled up into a messy ponytail. She skated towards the front of the stage and fell face first into the plate.

The crowd roared with laughter as did the cheerleaders and Mai.

"Any idea about this?" Seto frowned, questioning his son, who did nothing but growled in anger.

"And, who may you ask, is this imposter?" Mai extended a hand towards the crowd, only one hand clutching the clipboard she had had with her during the performance. "Give it up for the pretend princess, Diner Girl. Julia Montgomery."

The crowd started talking and looked behind them to see Julia. Joey paused and turned as well, seeing a look of horror and pain cross the said girl's face. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

A few of the cheerleaders started punching the air with their hands, yelling out, "_Diner girl! Diner girl! Diner girl!_"

Yugi reached over and took a hold of Julia's hand. It was freezing and he could feel her whole body shaking. Julia closed her eyes, trying to ignore the chanting and the looks she was getting. She couldn't move; she felt trapped.

Looking up, she spotted Joey, who turned away, unable to see her pain any longer. She wiped her tears away as everyone, save for the teachers, continued the chanting. Yugi gently tugged on her frozen hand.

"Let's go," he muttered. Julia nodded and allowed herself to be pulled away.

Joey turned around to see Julia, but found they were gone. Mai climbed off the stage and walked over, standing beside Tristan and Yami, Joey on her other side. She smirked, feeling and looking quite pleased with herself.

* * *

Julia ran into her small bedroom, and threw herself onto her bed, sobbing uncontrollably. She couldn't believe they did that!

She buried her face into her pillow, and sobbed into it. Her body racked with sobs, but she wasn't able to stop.

A few moments later, someone knocked on the door.

"Julia?" came Cecelia's voice.

"Go away!" Julia screamed, lifting her head from the pillow. Her nose and cheeks were a dark shade of pink as tears continued to make their way down her cheeks.

"But, Julia," Cecelia answered, entering the bedroom with a white envelope and a plate of cookies. "You got a letter from Princeton."

Julia sniffled and sat up, wiping her tears away. She accepted the letter from Cecelia and opened it. As she read it, she shook her head.

"What does it say?" Cecelia asked, sitting down on the bed, resting the plate of cookies beside her.

"We regret to inform you that your application to Princeton University has been rejected," Julia read, pulling her knees up to her chest and burying her face in them. She hugged her knees tightly. "I didn't get in."

In a well-disguised fake tone of sadness, Cecelia pouted. "Oh, no! Oh…and you studied so hard."

She croaked out, still shaking. "I can't believe I actually thought I had a chance."

"Oh Julia, I'm heartbroken. Life can be so unfair." Cecelia replied, still faking her disappointment.

Julia looked up, her eyes and nose puffy and red. Her cheeks were slightly pink. Did someone finally understand her feelings?

Cecelia smiled. "But just look on the bright side. You have a job at the diner for the rest of your life."

She paused for a moment and selected a chocolate chip cookie. "You want a cookie? Mmm, it's so nice."

Julia looked away, disappointed and upset. Smirking, Cecelia stood up and left the room, leaving behind the cookies.

Sobbing, Julia pushed away the letter and sunk into the bed.

For a while, she was still. Not sleeping; just laying there, motionless. As it began to darken outside, so did her room. The phone in her room was constantly ringing. She knew it was Yugi, trying to get hold of her.

Looking up, she watched the sunset. Her tears had dried up long ago. There was just nothing more to cry about – she didn't have the will to cry.

Sitting up, she reached over and flicked on the lamp on her bedside table. Her room instantly lit up, chasing away the dark shadows.

Climbing off the bed, Julia walked over to a small purple trunk she got from her father before he died. It was quite beautiful. It was a light purple in colour with patterns of baby blue and forest green.

She sniffed and pulled her hair up into a ponytail before lifting the lid of the trunk. She hadn't opened the trunk in so long and it had begun to collect dust.

Julia coughed slightly and waved the dust away before reaching in and pulling out a baseball mitt. She fingered it for a moment before resting it back down in the trunk. The next item that was pulled out was a pink picture frame with dark green hearts decorating the edges. Inside was a picture of her father and her.

Sighing, Julia replaced the picture frame and pulled out her fairy tale book. Studying it, she growled and closed her eyes.

"Stupid book." She muttered before hurling the thick book across the room. It hit the wall with a loud thud and fell to the floor with a louder thud. Feeling completely alone, Julia pulled her knees up to her chest and burried her face into them, gently rocking back and forth.

* * *

Friday morning, Julia was walking down the hall of the school, her head hung low. She wore a simple pair of black jeans, a blue t-shirt and a black knee-length long-sleeved coat. On top of her head, she wore a black bucket hat.

As she walked, people pointed and laughed at her, constantly asking her if they could get food to go.

Joey was walking out of a nearby classroom, alone. He had told Tristan and Yami to go on ahead, and as he walked out of the classroom, he spotted Julia. Stopping, he felt pain strike his heart.

He had finally found his Cinderella, so shouldn't he have been happy? Shouldn't have he been thrilled? He knew why he wasn't happy. He had found her, at last, but at a price to high to pay. She had to pay that price of complete and total humiliation.

Mai walked up to Joey from behind and glanced at Julia before looking at Joey.

"People like her," Mai said softly, pointing at the black and blue clad teenager walking down the hall, her head hung low while hugging her books tightly. "don't belong in this world Joey."

Joey turned and glared at Mai, before leaving. Mai sighed sadly, watching the blonde's retreat.

* * *

Aww, isn't that so sad? What Mai and the others did to Julia? Grr (growls) Now do you people see why I hate Mai? Mai is a total biatch, snobby. Grr…well, enough of my ranting. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

**Xx sTaR-bLuE-AnGeL xX: **Wow, that really sucks. To have your eggs totally squashed because they are put beside your bed. Here, you can have some of mine (happily gives you a basket of chocolate eggs) Hehe, I'm like you. I don't get things people tell me right away. My friend told me a joke once and I didn't get it until later that night when I suddenly burst out laughing. My parents thought I was crazy. LOL Your French teacher sounds like mine. Except, at my school, everything has to be typed up and if your computer crashes, well then "You should've had access to other computers." Grr, I hate teachers who tell you to type something up and then yell at you because your computer was a piece of crap. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Not many chapters left to go! Only two or three at the most!

**the peace pixie: **Thanks for the compliment. Yeah, I wanted to cry when I wrote the part about Joey being crushed. And during the part of the film where Sam was being exposed, I was full out crying. It was really sad. But, Shelby and Mai are so alike (damn rich-biatches) that I totally had to make Mai Shelby. Yeah, hehe, you're right. All females in Yu-Gi-Oh are annoying…except for Ishizu. I like her. Probably cause she's all mysterious and not annoying.

**chinkeepdaughter126: **LOL, yeah, I was laughing when Carter totaled the car in the movie. It was just so funny! Yeah, the whole dating bachelors was funny. I loved that. And the fact that Yami, Tristan and Joey were involved also made it greater. I love what Tristan said about Rebecca! "Okay, this American's into dueling, stuffed animals and being full of herself." XD I don't like Rebecca very much, and I couldn't resist! Hehe, if you feel like replacing my other fic with this one, that would be great. I would totally love to read how the cast would react to this fic! Hehe, but I totally understand that you have way too many fics at the moment. But, just saying, if you want to use this, go right ahead.

**Phersule: **Lol, here's your update! Hope you liked it!

PLEASE REVIEW!


	10. A Reality Check

Hey! This is it! The second-to-last chapter! Whoo! So, here it is! Enjoy!

_**Our Sucky Little Keyboard That No One Cares About and Will Probably Never Look At (OSLKTNOCAWPNLA for short)  
**Is OSLKTNOCAWPNLA even a word? Hmm, somehow, I don't think so...but, I can make up words! So can you! Like Fudgeamania! (watches readers back away slowly) ...oops? _

Anything written in normal text (like this) is the actual story.  
_Anything written in italics (like this) is when flashbacks or dreams are occurring.  
_**Anything written in bold (like this) is someone acting as a narrator-slash-voice over. **(You think I'm rich enough to hire two people?)  
**_Anything written in bold italics (like this) are song lyrics._**

* * *

Joey sighed, sitting at his computer in his bedroom that afternoon. It had been an early release day. One hand rested on the keyboard, the other propped up onto the desk. His head rested against the propped up arm.

In front of him, was an email that he was trying to write. At that moment, he had absolutely nothing except the email address.

Sighing once again, he lowered his arm and typed in, "Dear Julia…"

Joey read that for a moment than shook his head, pressing backspace and deleting the words. Frowning, he closed the window and stood up. He couldn't be there right now. Walking over to the bed, he picked up his jacket and left his bedroom.

* * *

Meanwhile, Julia sat on the floor of Cecelia's Diner, scrubbing the floor. A full bucket of water stood beside her.

She stood up but slipped on her skates, falling back on her bottom. Sniffling, and getting ready to cry again, she unlaced the skates and tore them off, tossing them away.

Ishizu walked out from behind the counter, and watched Julia for a moment. She sighed, and gave another waitress the tray of food she was holding.

"Julia, what are you doing?" Ishizu asked in a gentle voice.

Julia sniffed. "I'm trying to get these floors clean."

Ishizu sighed and walked over to Julia. "Come on, sweetie. Get up."

Ishizu held a hand out to the teenager, who looked up at her and accepted her hand. She raised an eyebrow at the now-standing Julia.

"What I mean is," Ishizu continued. "What are you doing with your life?"

Julia was silent for a moment. "I'm Diner Girl. I'm doing what diner girls do Ishizu."

Ishizu rested a hand on Julia's shoulder and looked her over with concern. "Baby, what's gotten into you?"

Julia switched her glance away, but Ishizu continued nonetheless. "You don't even realize how blessed you are."

Ishizu tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear and then reached over, lightly lifting Julia's chin and forcing the girl to look at her. She smiled slightly. "Look, you got a whole family behind you. We have faith in you. And you got to have faith in yourself."

Julia nodded slightly, still feeling crummy. But the feeling didn't last long as Tea and Serenity stormed into the diner, slamming the door behind them. The guitar clock shook slightly and fell, bringing the flowered wallpaper with it.

Julia's eye caught the bare walls, which had writing on them.

"Never let fear…keep you from…" Julia muttered to herself before smiling. "Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game."

For the first time in days, Julia smiled and silently thanked her dad for the message, for the reminder.

Serenity and Tea looked around at the wall and gasped just as Cecelia walked in.

"Oh, mother!" Serenity wailed dramatically. She pointed to the wall. "Julia destroyed your wall."

"What?" Cecelia turned to face the wall with her grey-eyes and smirked. "Oh yes, you did."

She turned back to Julia, still wearing the smirk. "Well, that's going to come out of your paycheck."

Cecelia walked to the register as Eleanor rolled her eyes. Rishid growled and went on with his work in the kitchen, kicking the counter doors with his foot.

"Cover those stupid words." Cecelia snapped.

"Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game." Julia whispered once more to herself.

"I'm going off to get more micros." Cecelia snapped. She waved her hands at Tea and Serenity. "Come on girls. Someone needs it to clean the pool tonight."

Julia growled and clenched her fists. It was time for a reality check. "No!"

Everyone in the diner froze and turned to watch the argument between Cecelia and Julia. Cecelia frowned.

"Excuse me?" She snarled.

"You heard me." Julia snapped back, her eyes narrowed in anger. "I quit. I quit this job and I quit your family. And I'm moving out!"

Tea, Serenity and Cecelia started laughing. After a moment, Cecelia looked up and sneered. "Oh? Where are you going to live?"

Ishizu smirked and wrapped an arm around Julia's shoulders. "With me."

The waitresses and Rishid grinned.

"You can't just walk out on me." Cecelia pointed.

Julia shook her head. "You know what, Cecelia? You can mess with your hair, and your nose, and your face and you can ever mess with my dad's diner, but you are _through _messing with _me_!"

Julia pulled away from Ishizu and walked by Cecelia, knocking shoulders with her roughly. Cecelia frowned and made a move to grab Julia's wrist, but Ishizu cut her off.

"Julia, wait up."

The teenager turned around and quirked a brow at Ishizu. Cecelia frowned.

"You can take one more step and you're fired." Cecelia threatened.

"Oh, that won't be necessary." Ishizu smiled. "Because I quit too."

She paused for a second before pointing at Cecelia. "You know what? The _only _reason why I stayed around and put up with you all these years is because of that girl."

Ishizu smiled at Julia and then turned her attention back to Cecelia. "And now that she's free of you, there's nothing stopping me from kicking your butt!"

Cecelia shrieked and ran behind Tea and Serenity. "Oh, come on! No, no! Not my face! It's much newer than the girls! Go for the girls!"

Tea and Serenity shrieked in response and turned to look at Cecelia. "Mom!"

Julia snickered and looked at the smirking Ishizu. "Ishizu. Ishizu, she's not even worth _that_."

Ishizu nodded and pretended to lunge at Cecelia, and the two girls, who all screamed in reply. Snickering, Ishizu walked over to Julia.

"You're right."

Eleanor shook her head. "You know what? I quit too."

She walked over to Ishizu and Julia. Rishid's eyes lit up. "Me too! Hey Ishizu, wait up! I need a ride!"

He ran out of the kitchen and then back in and picked up his favourite black spatula. He hugged it for a moment and then ran back out, tripping and falling face first into the floor. Everyone in the diner laughed as Rishid stood back up, grabbed his spatula and walked over to the ones who had already quit.

One waitress walked by Cecelia, tearing up a sheet of paper and throwing it up in the air. "Well…"

A second waitress walked by and snapped her fingers in Cecelia's face. "See ya."

Chuck, a customer walked by, eating a doughnut. "Send me a bill."

* * *

That night, Julia stood in Ishizu's living room, unpacking a few clothes she had grabbed from the house. Ishizu was nearby, setting up the couch. She had apologized to Julia about the lack of bedding, but Julia had just smiled and thanked her.

Laughing lightly, Julia grabbed a pair of jeans and a pink halter top. "Cecelia actually thought you were going to slap her."

Ishizu tossed a pillow onto the couch. "I was going to do more than that."

"I had no idea that you thought to quit that job." Julia pointed out, selecting out a black denim jacket.

"You know, I'm proud that I did." Ishizu joked, walking over to Julia, who turned and smiled back at her.

"Ishizu, are you sure that this is okay?"

Ishizu nodded. "Julia, I wouldn't have it any other way."

The two hugged for a moment before pulling away.

"I haven't felt this much at home for such a long time."

"I'm sure, compared to that Adams' family." Ishizu joked. She raised an eyebrow at Julia. "What's on your mind?"

Julia grabbed her clothes. "I'm going to do something tonight. Don't wait up, okay?"

* * *

Julia took a look at her watch. 6:45. She sighed and smoothed her black jeans she had decided to wear then fixed her black bucket hat. She opened the door to the boys' locker room and walked through it, keeping her eyes out for one person.

Perverted wolf-whistles from guys came at her from all directions, and one "Diner Girl," call, but Julia ignored it. She spotted Joey standing and talking with Yami and Tristan, all three getting ready for the big game.

Julia walked over to the three and stopped, resting her weight onto one leg while crossing her arms. Joey looked over to her.

"Julia! Okay, I know that you're thinking I'm some –"

"Coward? Phony?" Julia cut Joey off.

"Okay, just listen –" Joey began before Julia cut him off once more with a sharp look.

"No, you listen!" Julia snapped, attempting to control her temper. The locker room went quite, everyone watching the female. "You turned out to be _exactly _who I thought you were. I never pretended to be somebody else. It's been me all along. And it was _me _who was hurt in front of everyone."

Joey watched Julia, feeling guilty. Tristan and Yami watched the angry teenager and switched their glances to Joey. Tristan opened his mouth to say something, but Yami smirked and elbowed Tristan roughly in the stomach.

Julia rolled her eyes, and saw Joey inviting her to continue. "I didn't come here to yell at you, okay?"

Joey's eyes widened and he was about to speak but Julia cut him off for a third time with a wave of her hand. "I came here to tell you that I know what it feels like to be afraid to show who you are. I was. But I'm not anymore."

She turned to go but turned around, holding up her finger. "The thing is, I don't really care what people think of me. Because I believe in myself and I know that things will be okay. And even though I have no family, and no job and no money for college…it's _you _that I feel sorry for."

"Yo," Duke yelled to Joey from across the room. "Dress up. The game's in five minutes."

Joey turned to Duke, frowning. "I'm coming!"

Julia shook her head. "I _know_ that guy that sent those emails is somewhere down inside of you. But I can't wait for him. Because waiting for you is like waiting for rain in this draught. Useless and disappointing."

She turned and stormed off. The boys whistled in appreciation as Joey watched the female's retreating form with a sigh.

"Julia!" he called after her, but she didn't turn around to answer him. Growling, he turned and punched the locker door with his fist.

Julia walked out of the locker room, heaving a sigh.

"Julia."

Julia jumped and turned to face Yugi with a slightly smile. "Hey, what are you doing here?"

Yugi smiled and approached Julia. "Ishizu told me where you might be and I thought you could use a friend. Come here."

Julia smiled and hugged Yugi before pulling away from him. Yugi grinned. "Julia, I'm so proud of you. You…your step-mom…Joey…all in one day. How do you feel?"

"I-I'll let you know when I can catch my breath." She turned to Yugi. "Let's do something tonight."

"I was actually thinking about going to the game…" Yugi trailed off. "But I understand if you don't want to do that."

Julia shook her head. "No, I'll go."

"Really?" Yugi asked, lifting his head. "You'll go to the game?"

Julia nodded, giggling. "Yeah, I can handle it now. It'll be our first and last."

Yugi smiled and Julia slipped her arm through his.

"Besides," she went on. "If I don't go, who else would explain the game to you?"

"Oooh." Yugi nodded slowly as the two walked off.

Julia smiled and turned to Yugi. "I like what you're wearing. Look good today."

She nodded towards Yugi's blue jeans, his long black t-shirt and his blue denim jacket. Yugi grinned. "Guess so."

Julia nodded. "I think it's your best look."

"Thank you."

Julia giggled once more and let go of Yugi, pushing him backwards lightly before taking off down the hall, laughing. Yugi grinned and ran after his best friend, both looking forwards to the game.

* * *

Whoo! Next chapter is the last one for this fic! There will also be a small surprise for you guys' next chapter as well! Please review!

**the peace pixie: **Thanks for the compliment! I'll see what I can do bout Valon, here.

**Xx sTaR-bLuE-AnGeL xX**I dunno, but you mustn't question Joey's intelligence. (grins) Only I can make fun of him. (huggles Joey) LOL I love that joke! XD Hehe, I hate my English teacher. He's like Kaiba all over again (growls and slaps Kaiba) Thanks for the compliment. LOL I would LOVE to see the cast acting this out! LOL

**chinkeepdaughter126: **LOL, I know! But because I get the aura that Dartz would act like that, and the fact that he just HAD to be in this, I couldn't resist! XD No story is complete without humor!

**Phersule: **I hate Mai so much! I seriously hope something really bad happens to her! Grr, as long as they don't put Mai and Joey together in the anime, I'll be happy. I hate the Mai-Joey pairing. Grrr…anywho, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. One more to go!


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